A Very Happy New Year

Our church had it's annual New Years Eve get together this evening. We always have a potluck dinner (whoops, excuse me, I meant potprovidence), and then we head upstairs for a little ditty where folks will read a poem, sing a song, or play the piano. Tonight, some of the ladies sang a beautiful song. We don't have it in the hymn book we use at church, but the words are lovely and it is a prayer of mine to bring into 2009. The title just about speaks for itself. It is called Speak O Lord.

Speak, O Lord, as we come to you, to receive the food of Your Holy Word.

Take Your Truth, plant it deep in us; shape and fashion us in Your likeness;

That the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.

Speak, O Lord and fulfill in us, all Your purposes

For Your glory.

Teach us Lord, full obedience, Holy reverence, true humility.

Test our thoughts and our attitudes; in the radiance of Your purity.

Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority.

Words of power that can never fail; let their Truth prevail

Over unbelief.

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds; help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us.

Truths unchanged from the dawn of time, that will echo down through eternity.

And by grace we'll stand on Your promises; and by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.

Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built, and the earth is filled

With Your glory.

~Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

A blessed new year to you and yours.

posted by Lydia

Piano Troubles

It was a sad morning for me. I was in the middle of a piece of music when my damper pedal made a horrible clunk and crack sound then banged to the floor. You could hear my gasp and "OH NO!" all over the house. The poor thing broke, for good.

I took the front of the piano so as to view the damage.

If you can tell from the picture there is a metal hinge type thing that completely broke off. My poor piano! I am praying that I will be able to get it fixed and at a price that is reasonable.

So for now I guess I'll be playing a lot of Bach.

His piano pieces don't require a damper pedal. It wasn't even invented during his time!

Posted by: Carissa

A Quiet Nook

Step into my quiet place. It is indeed a "nook" in every sense of the word. It is located in our closet, just behind a colorful curtain of dresses.A haven of rest and a perfect "prayer closet" for the frazzled soul.

Natural light shed from a tinny little window completes the peaceful effect.
All the essentials. Two of my prayer notebooks (yes, I have more!), an Elizabeth George study guide on Philippians, my Bible for reference....

...the lovely "blankie" my sister crocheted for me last year to keep me warm and cozy...
...and a cup of chai. Love that chai.
What does it matter if my headrest consists of an old, forgotten pillow, my sister's sleeping bag, and my dad's old brief case? I love every bit of it :-).

As I leaned today while considering Philippians 1:9-11,

"If we are willing to spend hours on end to learn to play the piano, operate a computer, or fly an airplane, it is sheer nonsense for us to imagine that we can learn the high art of getting guidance through communion with the Lord without being willing to set aside time for it. It is no accident that the Bible speaks of prayer as a form of waiting on God."
~Paul Rees

So make yourself a quiet nook. Spend some much needed time lingering in prayer. If I have learned anything from Christians older and wiser than me, it is that communion with God, like anything else, takes practice!

posted by Lydia

I looked out the window this evening and saw a beautiful sunset. I love sunsets. It is one of the beauties of God's nature that never ceases to amaze me.

A peaceful Sabbath to you all.

Posted by Carissa

I've Done It!!!...

...almost. As some of you know, the main aim of my existence is trying to brew that perfect cup of chai. (giggle) Just kidding. No really, I was kidding. The second main aim of my existence is trying to brew that perfect cup of chai :-). Obsessed? Not a chance. I have recently learned how to prepare a chai teabag by brewing it in hot, sweetened milk, but today, I ran across a real recipe for it. This is the version that I came up with to accommodate for the ingredients that we had on hand. It's not perfect, but it's something to work with at least. For those of you who are not familiar with chai, I like to call it, "black/green tea with it's boots on" (yeah, I thought that was pretty clever too). Read this for a more detailed explanation. So, without further ado, here is my imperfect recipe: Chai Tea

~1/4tsp powdered ginger

~1/4tsp cinnamon

~3 cloves

~1/2tsp vanilla extract

~2 pinches nutmeg

~1tsp sugar

~2Tbs honey

~2 green or black tea bags

~1 cup water

~1 cup milk

Boil the water in a sauce pan. Turn off the heat under the water, and cut open the teabags. Dump the tea leaves into the boiled water, and add the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla. Give it all a good stir. Mix in the nutmeg, sugar, and honey. Turn on a low heat and allow to simmer for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the milk. At this point, the original recipe says to bring it to a boil, but due to my wee little sauce pan, I just made sure that it was good and heated. Pour the entire mixture through a tea strainer to make sure that you're not drinking leaves, and enjoy the satisfaction of having made your own cup of tea.

This recipe was a tad bit sweet for me. I'll probably cut down on the honey and vanilla next time, but I absolutely love everything else. If you have any realistic chai recipes (you know, the ones that call for ingredients that us normal people have around the house), PLEASE leave a comment and share it with me!

posted by Lydia

Our Finished Dresses

Lydia's dress (love the forest green).

My dress
The back is the best part.

There was no zipper (sigh of relief!) and the gathering was very easy.
If anyone is interested, the pattern was a simplicity costume.

posted by: Caroline

Our Snowy Friend

A peaceful Christmas morning after a night of wind and rain. All is calm and lovely as a light snow falls. Naturally, a snowman is in order.

Pre-cut sticks from the windstorm last night! How convenient.

The snow is packy...very packy. That snowball I got hit with nearly knocked me out. No, really.We soon came to the startling realization that it just doesn't work like it does in Frosty the Snowman. Bummer.
Ball number one. Good job girls.

"I do believe he's beginning to look like me!"

Every snowman's essentials. Yup, we cheated and used a kit, complete with a fake carrot and a plastic top hat.
I never understood why a snowman needs a scarf. But...one must keep with tradition.

Meet Jim-Bob the snowman. Sing with me now...

"Jim-Bob the snowman, was a very jolly soul! With a button mouth and a carrot nose, and two eyes made out of coal."

At least, I think that's how it goes... fell free to correct me. I hope you all had a lovely day!

posted by Lydia

See amid the winter snow,

Born for us on earth below,

See the tender Lamb appears,

Promised from eternal years.

Lo, within a manger lies

He who built the stary skies:

He who, throned in height sublime,

Sits amid the cherubim.

Say, ye holy shepherds, say,

What your joyful news today?

Wherefore have you left your sheep,

On the lonely mountain steep?

"As we watched at dead of night,

Lo! we saw a wondrous light;

Angels singing, 'Peace on earth',

Told us of the Saviors birth."

Sacred Infant, all divine,

What a tender love is thine,

Thus to come from highest bliss

Down to such a world of this!

Teach, O teach us, holy Child,

By thy face so meek and mild,

Teach us to resemble Thee,

In Thy sweet humility.

posted by Lydia

A Christmas Party

Our bible study had it's Christmas party last week.

With candy and cookies...

and punch.....

and Julia...

with friends...

and more friends...

and more punch. :-D

posted by: Caroline

I left my camera at someone house, but as soon as I get it back I'll post pictures of our finished dresses (and other things I've been sewing).

posted by: Caroline

If Christ Had Not Come

I read this devotional from Streams in the Dessert several years ago, and it made a great impact on me as a little girl. I thought of posting it on Christmas day, but I decided that these things would be good to meditate on over the next couple days.

December 25

There's a song in the air!

There's a star in the sky!

There's a mother's deep prayer,

And a baby's low cry!

And the star rains its fire,

While the beautiful sing,

For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King.

A number of years ago, a remarkable Christmas card was published by the title, "If Christ Had Not Come". It was based on our Savior's own words, "If I had not come," in John 15:22.

The card pictured a minister falling asleep in his study on Christmas morning and then dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream, he saw himself walking through his house, but as he looked, he saw no stockings hung on the chimney, no Christmas tree, no wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort and gladden hearts or to save us. He then walked onto the street outside, but there was no church with its spire pointing toward heaven. And when he came back and sat down in his library, he realized that every book about our Savior had disappeared.

The minister dreamed that the doorbell rang and that a messenger asked him to visit a friend's poor dying mother. He reached her home, and as his friend sat and wept, he said, "I have something here that will comfort you." He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended with Malachi. There was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation, and all he could do was bow his head and weep with his friend and his mother in bitter despair.

Two days latter, he stood beside her coffin and conducted her funeral service, but there was no message of comfort, no words of a glorious resurrection, and no thought of a mansion awaiting her in heaven. There was only "dust to dust, and ashes to ashes," and one long, eternal farewell. Finally he realized that Christ had not come, and burst into tears, weeping bitterly in his sorrowful dream.

Then suddenly he awoke with a start, and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing these words in his church nearby:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!

Come and behold Him, born the King of angels,

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Let us be glad and rejoice today, because He has come. And let us remember the proclamation of the angel: "I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11).

He comes to make His blessings flow,

Far as the curse does go.

May our hearts go out to the unconverted people of foreign lands who have no blessed Christmas day.

posted by Lydia

Joy to the World?

So, the Christmas season is upon us once again. As we see the hustle and bustle of crazed and panicking shoppers, watch the at times obnoxious T.V. adds, and listen to those silly Christmas songs that are sung only because they rhyme ("Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas"?), it is easy to tell that this holiday is not at all about joy to the world or peace on earth; at least, not to the untransformed heart.

Instant Joy: Get it Before it's Gone

Have you ever noticed that holidays are often viewed as a "quick fix" for joy? Sort of like those instant mashed potatoes; they come in a neat little package, they're ready in a wink, and you can just taste the fake ingredients on your tongue. Is that really all there is to joy though? Is it just a warm fuzzy feeling that leaves as soon as something else comes to take it's place?

A Biblical Take on Joy

So what is joy really? Well, we know from Galatians 5:22 that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. We also know from Jesus that if we keep His commandments and abide in His love, than our joy will be full (John 15:10-11). What can we learn about joy from these verses? From Galatians, it is clear that joy is not only a nice thing to experience, but is a biblical command. Galatians 5:25 states, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Part of walking in the Spirit is exhibiting those fruits, one of which is joy. We also see, from what Jesus said, that joy does not come over night, but must be cultivated (by keeping His commandments), and rooted in Him (by abiding in His love).

Caution: Joy Is Not an Emotion

In her book A Young Woman's Walk with God, Elizabeth George writes this while dealing with the subject of joy,

"It helps me to cultivate joy in my life by thinking of joy as the sacrifice of praise. Let me explain. When life is good, praise and thanksgiving flow freely from my heart and lips. But when life turns black, praise and thanksgiving don't flow quite so easily. Instead, I have to deliberately choose to follow God's advice and "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Although I don't feel like praising the Lord or thanking Him, I do what God says, and that effort makes my praise a sacrifice.

Mrs. George goes on to explain that joy is not happiness. Happiness is the emotion we feel when we smell cookies baking, finally beat that certain person in chess, or find out that our team won the World Series. Joy is the ability to say "Thy will be done" after the death of a loved one. It is the ability to see past a difficult trial and see the good that God is working through it.

Won't you make a conscience effort to radiate joy this Christmas season (and the rest of the year too)? This world of ours is in desperate need of true, Christ-like joy, and we are the only ones who can show them what it looks like.

As Paul said, even when he was in chains for the gospel, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" Philippians 3:12

posted by Lydia

C.S. Lewis Quote

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell. "

~C. S. Lewis

posted by Lydia

How Firm a Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!

What more can He say than to you He hath said,

You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed;

I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I'll strenthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;

For I will be with thee thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,

I will not, I will not desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake."

~Unknown

posted by Lydia

People Alert!!! A Homeschooling Story

The Lord Will Provide

Though troubles assail us. and dangers affright,
Though friends should all fail us, and foes all unite,
Yet one thing assures us whatever betide,
This promise assures us,
"The Lord will provide."

The birds without garner or storehouse, are fed;
From this let us learn to trust God for our bread:
His saints what is fitting shall not be denied
So long as is written,
"The Lord will provide."

When Satan assails us to stop up our path,
And courage all fails us, we triumph by faith.
He cannot take from us though oft he has tried,
This heart-cheering promise,
"The Lord will provide."

No strength of our own, and no goodness we claim;
Yet, since we have known of the Saviour's great Name,
In this our strong tower for safety we hide:
The Lord is our power,
"The Lord will provide."
~John Newton

posted by Lydia

Dress Making

The three of us older girls are making Christmas dresses this year. We learned to read patterns last year in 4-H, and I was bitten by the bug. I LOVE TO SEW!

Lydia cut out her pieces while Abby wrapped Christmas presents. My dress is in the background. I don't have a mannequin so I had to hang it up on the curtain rod to hem it.
We'll post more pictures once we're finished.

posted by: Caroline

Most Difficult Doctrine?

Please take the time to read this post over at Beauty from the Heart. If you have time, you might enjoy browsing the whole blog. I always find something to challenge and encourage me there. Keep it up, girls!
posted by Lydia

Lovely Lotus Flowers

As we are having a holiday luncheon tomorrow, we set the table for it tonight. I thought that I would put up instructions on how to fold a napkin into a lotus flower. Hey, you never know when you can use this kind of information. It might be useful someday. :-)

Step #1- Find a plain 'ole square napkin, and lay it flat.
Step #2- Take each of the four corners and fold them up to the center.Step #3- Pinch the corners in the center together with one hand, hold your breath, and flip the whole thing over with the other hand.

Warning: O.C.D (obsessive compulsive disorder) suffers, this part may not turn out perfectly. So, take a deep breath, and just leave it!
Step #4- Once again, fold each of the four corner to the center. When you are done, it should look like this:
Step #5- Lift up a corner and tug on the corner of fabric you will find underneath. It works. Trust me.

Do this to all four corners. "Lift it up, tug it out, turn it around, repeat."
The finished flower.
Carefully(!!) move it onto a plate. Take your time, no hurry. I stress this point, for the lovely flower you see above is no longer with us. I smooshed it as I was trying to move it. A moment of silence for the flower, if you please.
I would suggest placing something heavy in the middle of your lotus flower. Like a glass, or, if all else fails, your elbow.

Enjoy your tastefully folded napkins, until dinner time when they will be promptly unfolded. Ah, well. The ladies in my family would tell you that presentation is everything!

posted by Lydia