True Femininity: How to be a Heroine

With a recent viewing of the 1995 Pride and Prejudice fresh in my mind, and my thoughts still bent on wondering how it would feel to be Lizzy Bennet, I thought now was as good a time as any to do my "How To Be A Heroine" post. :)

Who has not watched a movie and sat through the end credits, wishing and dreaming that she was Elizabeth Bennet, or Jo March, or Emma Woodhouse or a score of other heroines?

I've noticed a trend in the blogging world of using popular heroines' names as a screen=n

ame.

So what is it that makes up a heroine that is laudable, worthy of imitation, and unforgettable?

How can we become such a young lady?

Here are some of my thoughts on the subject:

A heroine is beautiful-- I am a bit reluctant to address this

subject, as the whole self-image thing can be an issue for many girls. There are two sides to the beauty subject. I will address the less important side, that of outward beauty, first.

Each heroine makes the most of her beauty, however much she has. And believe me. There is some beauty to be found even in the plainest of faces. A young lady ought to be careful to dress herself tastefully and neatly, without a bunch of extra feathers and furbellows

.

This is not what we're looking for, although it has it's place, I suppose.

Ahh! Much better! Beautifully feminine and simple all the same.

Every girl, regardless of her natural features can take pains to make the most of her temple and prepare herself sweetly and modestly for the day. And remember girls, the girl who smiles is always the most beautiful! :)

Now for the second, and more important, side of beauty. A heroine is always a girl who has strength of character, nobility, and a sweetness about her that blesses everyone she comes in contact with. She is cherished, not because she is outwardly beautiful, but because she is a heroine in every sense of the word.

A heroine is a lady: I cannot stress the importance of this one aspect of a heroine. Before I go further, I must tell you that a guy will not act like a hero unless the girl is a lady and lets him act heroically. If a girl is out to prove herself all the time and charges forward in life, leaving all she passes breathless, the guys will steer far away, relieved to have escaped her steam-roller attitude.

So, what does ladylike-ness look like in a heroine? Well, if you notice, a heroine typically is not a Lydia Bennet. In other words, a flirt.

Such a girl who flaunts herself and fills the air with senseless chatter only to elicit laughter and attention from the guys will never end up with a hero. She might catch a Wickham, though.

Ahem.

A heroine who is a lady is socially graceful. She knows what to say and when to say it.

One of the things I admire in other young ladies and am striving to cultivate in myself is the ability to make real conversation with ease, to have substantial conversations with people, and to have a ready and thoughtful answer to give when required.

"A girl of sense is infinitely preferable to a sensible man...."

Truly. It is not the flirtatious, cavorting girls who are the respected, well-loved sisters in Christ.

If you are a Lydia Bennet, you will have the attention of Wickham, but miss out on the regard and honor bestowed on the true heroines by the Mr. Darcy's of this world.

A heroine thinks of others above herself.

I think of Molly Gibson in Wives and Daughters who was constantly giving of herself to others, even when the situation was awkward, and it cost her her reputation. This is another treasure of a heroine. She is always indispensable to her family, friends, and community. :)

A heroine is accomplished and productive.

The heroines we all love best are full of spunk, creativity, and profitable ventures. Who can help admiring and loving a girl who keeps busy and cheerful doing productive things? :) And for many heroes out there, this is one of the most attractive things about the heroines.

A heroine, in short, is a truly womanly woman. She brings out the most manly side of the men and the most beautiful side of her fellow women. She does not put herself out to have all the attention, but says things worth saying, listens to others, and is dependable, graceful, beautiful, kind, accomplished, sweet, and patient. I think we could all use to take the example of the Lizzy and Jane Bennets, the Emma Woodhouses, the Molly Gibsons, and try our best to be true heroines. :) It isn't easy, but I think the world needs a few girls who are determined to be heroines, don't you? ~Rachel

Anti-Complacency- Living Life To the Hilt

"The complacency of fools destroys them." Prov. 1:32

A few weeks ago I was stuck a bit in a rut of complacency. I had stopped trying to grow in hard areas because I was "better than most". I had become comfortable in where I was, and complacent in the way I was living. I was doing fabulous things compared to the world's standards, but I knew it was not my personal best. Then I read Alex and Brett Harris' Do Hard Things and the Lord convicted me of my complacency. Actually, His hand was in it from the very beginning, because I won that book in a blog giveaway. Never believe "luck" has anything to do with anything. :) Here is a particular passage of the book that struck home hard:

"Complacency is a blight that saps energy, dulls attitudes, and causes a drain on the brain. The first symptom is satisfaction with things as they are. The second is rejection of things as they might be. "Good enough" becomes today's watchword and tomorrow's standard.
Complacency makes people fear the unknown, mistrust the untried, and abhor the new. Like water, complacent people follow the easiest course--downhill. They draw false strength from looking back. "

I don't mind telling you that I was drawing false strength from looking back. And it *was* effecting my life. I found my attitude going on a downhill course when it was time to "do hard things". I stopped trying for my best, and fell into the next consequence of complacency: Self-pity.
I glued my eyes to the other side of the fence and feasted on the sight of the green grass over there, while neglecting to see all the blessings the Lord has given me.
Over these past few weeks the Lord has been helping me, guiding me, and giving me strength to keep my attitude in check, and do the hard things that need doing. This does include running Taste and See Family Farm--a daunting task at times.
It's amazing how the hard things become more attractive when we are no longer viewing them through complacency-fogged lenses.
Below is my newest "Anti-Complacency Manifesto", as I call it. :)

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God."
-Jim Eliot

It's not always easy going, but I am determined, with God's help, to live to the hilt every situation He puts in front of me. It's the only way to do it. :) And here comes the funny part of this rambling post....(yes, I have been keeping track of the polls and finding "humorous posts" has the lead ;)

Living life to the hilt is a picture of sword-fighting, is it not? I thought so.

And um....when you've stabbed something to the hilt of your sword, generally that means you have run it through, bled it's life's blood....in effect killed it....right?

Mmhmm.

I went out to the garden today in the most content frame of mind with that wonderful quote ringing through my thoughts like a beam of golden hope for my day. All the tilling I did on Friday in the garden had crusted over. It would have to be done again. A whole afternoon virtually wasted last week. But I had no such thoughts. I was determined that I would serve my family and my God by having a servant's heart and living this situation to the hilt.

I started the tiller. I tilled a looooonnnggg, wide row. And half of another.

I lived it to the hilt all right. Killed it dead. Ahem.

I guess I should 'fess up. Unbeknowst to me, the entire row had been planted Saturday while I was gone.

I sure did a thorough job of it. Ruined all that work, (which we have no seeds to replant) while trying to live life to the hilt. *sigh* Just as I thought I was learning something. ;)

-Rachel

What's Wrong With "Yes"? :)

I've decided that my tendency as an older sister is to say "no" to too many things. True, at times, the requests I deny are quite ridiculous like Gracie's the other day: "Rachie, can we go in the 'prinkler in our bathin' suits?" (40 degrees outside! :P)
Many times I say "no" out of genuine reasons to protect my siblings from foolish behavior or danger I can foresee that they can't. But there are the times when I say "no" out of purely selfish motives.
"Rach, can we build a tent with the dining room chairs?" (Don't want a mess to clean up, so I answer, "no".)
"Rach, can I borrow your hoop?" (Don't want to have to clean any more dirt off it next time I wear it than is already there, so I answer "no")
"Can I help 'make' with you?" (Want to get dinner fixed as quickly as possible and a pair of little hands are rather clumsy with a potato peeler so I answer once again, "no")

There is probably no genuine reason for my declining the request. I just don't feel like dealing with the extra mess or noise. But a little while ago I began wondering, "How often do I say 'yes' to their requests? Do they already anticipate I'll say 'no' before they even ask?"
And I could not answer that question as gladly as I hoped I could. Too often my stock answer is "no". So I began looking for opportunities to say yes to simple, harmless things the kids would love doing. It hasn't always been really easy to let them have their way in those areas once in awhile- I still don't relish the extra work. But I'm no longer looked upon as a "fuddy-dud". :)
After all, what is wrong with letting Benjamin and Abby play spies in the place beneath the stairwell? Or pack lunch in a picnic basket instead of slapping it onto plates? Or letting the music stay louder than I'd like while they dance to it? Aren't these all things that delighted me as a child?
As Mama always says to me: "I don't care if I come back and the house is a wreck, so long as the little ones' eyes are shining." :) ~Rachel

New Year Thoughts

At the start of every new year, there are so many things to think about! :) First off, recalling all of God's Providences and blessings throughout my last year, and goals accomplished, and things done. The serious business of closing out an old year.

And then I begin to think about this year, and some of the sobriety leaves. Strange thoughts flood my mind. Things like: "Wow! I'll be twenty next year!" and "Should I say "Two-thousand-eleven, or Twenty-ten?" and "Blast, now I'll have to get used to writing 2011!".

And then the remembrance creeps in that Dad asked us to make goals for this new year. I begin to think, and for once, can come up with my list quite easily. I guess I have a lot of things going right now, if I can compile a list with all the proper categories that quickly! :) Dad likes us to make lists like this:
Spiritual Goal: a goal like memorizing Scripture, or committing to personal devotional time with Jesus, or something like that
An Academic, or Intellectual goal: like finishing a certain something in school (for me, this year, graduating! :) or committing to reading a particular book, or something
A Creative goal: Learning a new skill, committing to a certain project, etc.
And General goals: whatever else doesn't fit in the above categories.

The list that comes out now and again throughout the year to make me feel slightly panicky with the realization that, although I've done many other things, I've procrastinated on the very goals I named for this new year. ;)

Nevertheless, I like ringing in a new year! It gives a perfect opportunity for a fresh start. And there are many things to think of. I stand on the brink of the new year wondering what the Lord will have for me this year, how Jesus can use me, and just what will my life look this time next year? And I have no way of knowing beforehand. My life could look much different than it does now. Or it could look much the same. Exciting things could have happened. Or I could have become up close and personal with the steady, simple, uneventful side of life. There's no way to tell! :)
So here's to adventure- the kind that a Christian finds in following Christ, letting Him lead you, and steer the ship, while you simply let yourself be a channel.
And here's to the New Year. May God bless you richly in it, and may you look on it next year, and be able to say in truth that you gave it to the Lord, and He, in turn, used it mightily. ~Rachel

What Are Mothers Made Of? :)

As I tried to let Mama rest on her birthday, and make her a special birthday dinner with the girls, I was reflecting on just what does make a mother what she is. Of course, I do think and feel like a mother in many of these areas, but I am not a mother yet! :) I think we should all stop now and then and think over how much mothers do for us! :) Here are my thoughts on the subject:

I can take care of a household, do all the chores, fix meals, and keep laundry running and folded, but until I can do all of that while holding a baby in one arm and a 3 year old by the other hand, I will not know how it feels to be a mother.

I may be able to handle all the problems that come up in my life, but until I can look a weeping six-year old in the face, and listen to their little tragedies without laughing, and help them through their trials without making them feel like ridiculous "children", I do not have the ever-ready understanding of a mother.

I may be able to wrap presents beautifully and concisely, but until I can step over the untidy makings of an eight-year-old boy's gift-box to lay paper down before he spatters the table with paint and all the time praise his ingenuity, I haven' the patience of a mother.

I may be able to make a pie-crust flaky to perfection, but until I can make one with a sister standing in between my arms, helping me roll the dough flat, I don't have the foresight of a mother.

I may be able to sew a doll dress, ice a cake, do any of a number of things eight times faster than a little child, but until I can let them help, and not mind the crooked stitches, or lumpy icing, I won't be thinking like a mother.

I may be preparing a gorgeous meal, and setting the table beautifully, but until I can let a little brother light the candles, even if he uses up ten matches, and until I can all the while thread a needle for a little sister eight-hundred times, and still emerge from the kitchen with a smile on my face, I don't have the multi-tasking abilities of a mother.

I may be able to appreciate great works of art and beautiful music, but until I can hear the "Moonlight Sonata" played fifty times over, and until I can look at a 6 year old's drawing and see as much promise, and as much beauty as if it were hanging in a museum or recorded on a c.d., I don't have the eyes and ears of a mother...

Thanks Mama! :) Love, Rachel

So You Think There Are Nuts on Your Family Tree?

"There's no place like home for real comfort!"

"Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first
associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no
subsequant connections can supply..."

-Jane Austen

Doubtless when Jane Austen penned those words, she was thinking of her own home and family. To put it plainly, and in blunt English, we can quote my Grandmama:

"We all love our own weird family!" :D

This does not imply exactly that one's family is weird, only that we are all most comfortable amongst our blood relations! :) I must say, it feels good to have Daniel back in our midst! Like in the Austen quote above, though Matthew did his best as a cousin to fill Daniel's place, there is nothing quite like the original! (no offence m'dear! :) I am so blessed that Dad and Mama have instructed us, and placed great value, in our building good relationships with our siblings! It always saddens me to see grown men and women fueding over simple things, because they have never had good relationships to begin with as children! I know we are not perfect. Far from it! I'm sure every member of my family can testify to the fact that I lose my patience sometimes, and can be quite as snippy as the next person. But the difference comes in the way we handle the not-so-godly times. It is the contrast between Nellie-Oleson attitude being the norm, and a bit of crabbiness once in awhile. Do I throw up my hands, roll my eyes and say, "Why do I even try?!?!" with a self-piteous moan, or do I humble up, apologize, and put my shoulder to the plow and wrangle the attitude? God has given us our families to be in it with us for the long haul, including all our quirks and oddities. We can either fight against it, and constantly pull seperate directions, convinced that the "perfect life" is just over the horizon, or we can look around us, and realize that, all small quirks aside, we are a working, God-created team, built specifically to fulfill a special purpose in His plan. It is easy to put up a good, patient, saintly front for those people you see only once a week. But the real test is among the people you live with 24-7. Do they respect you? Are you treating them with the deference you show to everyone at church? I know I am probably misquoting someone, but it has been said, "A great man is respected best, by the people who know him best." I know that sometimes we can get on each other's nerves. But chances are, truly, that at least half of our "issues" with others, are of our own making. When the Walkers were living with us for 3 months, we had a huge poster up with this verse to remind us constantly of the Lord's will for our relationships: "1 Peter 4:9-11 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as with the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" Right in these few short verses you have all you need to know to have successful family relationships. If, every time I opened my mouth, I spoke only the words God would put there, I doubt my siblings would have reason to complain! If I ministered to them with the gifts the Lord has given me, instead of maybe saving them for people I felt like serving (in my flesh) I am sure things would always go smoothly. Try it, and you will be surprised at the "change" yo observe in your family. Though I would beg to wonder if perhaps the change was in your own heart! :) Although this may seem like a rambling post, it has an object- I started it thankful for being a whole family once more, and I end it in the same way, merely challenging us all to try to make our home a place that our family members long to return to whenever they are away! :) -Rachel

A Poem by Ruth Graham

Alright all you girls! Here is something I found that voices my thoughts on my future husband perfectly! I only wish I could take the credit for writing it! :) It is a poem I found in a biography about Billy Graham that his wife, Ruth Graham, wrote as a young lady even before she met him! :) Here it is:

"A Poem By Ruth Graham"

"Dear God, I prayed, all unafraid

(As we're inclined to do)

I do not need a handsome man

But let him be like You;

I do not need one big and strong

Nor yet so very tall,

Nor need he be some genius,

Or wealthy, Lord, at all;

But let his head be high, Dear God,

And let his eye be clear,

His shoulders straight,

Whate'er his state,

Whate'er his earthly sphere;

And let his face have character,

A ruggedness of soul,

And let his whole life show, Dear God,

A singleness of goal;

Then when he comes, (as he will come)

With quiet eyes aglow,

I'll understand that he's the man

I prayed for long ago."

Isn't that just about the sweetest thing you have read for a long while? I love praying for my future husband, and this poem just captured the hope and preciousness of being assured the Lord is listening. Hope you liked it! :) -Rachel

p.s. Just so you know, that's NOT Ruth and Billy Graham in the picture.:)

Post-4th of July-Thoughts

"A toast- to high treason...that's what these men were committing when they signed the Declaration of Independence.....So here's to the men who did what was considered wrong, in order to do what they knew was right. What they knew was right!"

-National Treasure

I love that quote! The movie, "National Treasure" gets some things wrong, but it has some slamming quotes! :) Independence Day for me, gets me thinking all about the Colonial era, and the great, looming choice the Founding Fathers were facing. Should they go to War against their mother country? Was that really what the Lord was leading them to do? I am sure it was a very confusing time. Nowadays, we do not stop to think whether it was a good thing that America rebelled. We take it for granted, that it was always such an easy choice. I don't want to be a "red, white, and blue" American- I mean, the kind of patriot who is one only on the surface- I want to remember the real historical facts, and learn lessons from the men who made this huge decision. It must have been an intense time. I mean, I can only imagine in our church fellowship the unrest caused by someone saying we should emancipate ourselves from our governing country. I am sure not everyone would agree on the wisest course to take! But I believe the Lord blessed the men who guided our country on a quest to become their own. I am SO grateful for the wisdom the Lord gave these men in making our founding documents! I am proud to be an American, but not because "at least I know I'm free". I am proud to be an American because of our freedom, yes, but more importantly, because I know my heritage as an American. Really, the American Revolution was entirely uncoventional. And as Christians, we are called to lead unconventional lives! Our whole country was founded on Christian principles, and they have served us well! Now that we as a country are slipping away from our base though, I encourage us to learn the facts for ourselves! Not just trust whatever sort of "shot heard `round the world" history we happened to remember from our history book! :) People are forgetting the facts in lieu of legends, or missinformation- for instance, Sarah and I were laughing during the fireworks last night as we listened to a grown man musing: "Just think about in Colonial times, that all this noise would have been shots of guns! Man, I wouldn't be fightin' out in front! I'd run the other way and climb a tree and start sniping people!" What that man doesn't realize is that really, his "great idea" of hiding and guerilla-ish warfare was exactly what the Americans did! The British, very accomplished in open-war-field strategies, were at a loss when they couldn't even see the Americans hiding in the forest. Anyway, that man's remarks were just a reminder of how the facts are slowly being forgotten. Everyone sort of imagines pitched battle in a sunny field, with calvary, and formations. Indeed, there was some of that, but we Americans had learned our new land, and the benefits of fighting as the natives do.

This is sort of a rambling post, but it is "Post-Fourth of July-Musings" that were tumbling around my brain this week! Hope I didn't bore you! :) -Rachel

A Variety of Thoughts

I am doing a quick post right before going out to garden. Tomorrow's s'posed to be 100 degrees! :( I swear, our garden can be a bane and a blessing all rolled into one- it's like having a very fractious, needy, fussy, roaring, but useful 9th child! :)

The past couple of days I've been reading out of "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. I love it! After reading Oswald Chambers's biography, I have a better understanding of that man. Each day I've read out of it, there has been some nugget that I take with me. Here are some of the quotes that stuck out:



(June 16th) "Has the Lord ever asked you, "Willl you lay down your life for My sake? It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways."
(Now I am back after 2 hours of gardening) Anyway, I think as Christians we assume that the only time we can really be "having a relationship" with the Lord, is when the lightbulb is really going off, and we are having a mountaintop experience. I think the Lord's most perfect work in us occurs when we are in the valley. I read on someone's blog one time the reflection that one of the names of Jesus is "The Lily of the Valley". Where does a lily of the valley grow? In the valley or course. There are some attributes of the Lord's character that we would not see unless we were willing to go down into the low places, and keep our spiritual eyes open at the same time. Really, I believe that the times of mundane plodding can be just as useful and glorious in the end, as the times when we see so very clearly all that we might be doing, and have done.
Then today's reading had a wonderfully freeing message in it:
"If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately--- totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything---by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness---being willing to risk your all."
Isn't that lovely? Don't stop to consider what may happen when the Lord calls you. If the founding fathers had really stopped to consider the gravity of declaring war with England, would we have America? If Moses had stopped to consider the "impossibility" of getting millions of people across an ocean, would he ever have raised his staff and parted the Red Sea? If missionaries stopped to think of all the trials they may have to face on the mission field, would the Gospel ever be so widely spread? Be reckless in your abandonment to God- He'll take you on a glorious adventure! -Rachel

Some Encouraging Lyrics

Hey! I thought I'd post these lyrics to the chorus and bridge of a song I heard the other day. I really like the words to this song:

"I hear you say,'My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's inbetween.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, "Is this for real?"
The times you're broken. The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me. The times that you bend.
Well, My love is over,it's underneath.
It's inside, it's inbetween.
These times when you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting. The times that you heal.
The times that you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends."

I love these words, because we all need to remember that He'll never leave us. No matter where we go or how sinful we are, He's always there with us!:) Well, I've gotta go!
-Sarah

I Can't Even Imagine

I rediscovered how much I love journals today! I was writing in my journal and then flipped back through some of the pages from last year. I was struck over and over by how God has worked in my life, and changed me! (Not just last year, but continually!) Sometimes we can get bogged down in our trials and can't see the forest for the trees. I know that at times, I think: "I am no farther along in His kingdom than I was as a 12 year old!" and yet, in my journal is proof of His mighty hand in my personal life. He was wrought great changes in my life, He has tried the mettle of my heart, and helped me stay faithful to Him, He has blessed me again and again by working things out when I thought that surely it was the end of the world! ;) He is so great!
I was impressed once again to remember that I am merely a player in the best drama in history! And that being said, all will be worked out impressively and perfectly if I could remember to just act the part written for me to play! When I try to improvise....it doesn't work! I have a whole guide-book; a letter written to me to tell me how to walk through this life, and it reminds me constantly that I must trust to the Master to craft my story!



(Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.")

(Psalm 37:5-6 "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.")

Those are just a couple of the verses that show me over and over, time and again that the One in whom I place my trust is the only One worth having! I will commit my way to Him, and He shall continue to put into place His plan. I'll keep on journaling, and who knows what my God may have done in my life by this time next year? Or the next? Certainly, in my wildest imaginations, I shan't be able to guess how marvelous it really will be! -Rachel

Several Things. Just Come Read Them.

Hey guys! I had such fun doing the last post! Who would have thought that I'd be correct on most of the ones! (At least, the people that answered!) We may have to change our background for Mr. Alexander who feels he cannot be caught reading a blog decked out in flowers! ;)
Thanks for telling me if I was right or not! I really just guessed random things about each person, though for a couple like Anna's, it was an educated guess. (She takes such great pictures)
Okay. So. Does anyone, at some point, want to read the plot of my mystery novel I had been writing? I am under a solemn oath to finish it for Sarah, Daniel, and Alaina, but haven't picked it back up.
Yesterday after church, the new time got the better of us, and three families stayed till 7:00!! Gasp! We had alot of fun though! We did some Civil War dances, and the Virginia Reel. (All without music mind you!) I am afraid it was more like gallumphing than dancing!
Okay. So here is the verse the Lord showed me last night to take to heart for the week:

Psalm 27:13-14 " I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

I just loved the victorious sound of those words, and the promise that goes with them. Isn't that what we all want? For Jesus to strengthen our hearts? That is what I want. And that is what my Lord has promised me! -Rachel

When I Consider The Heavens

I am often overwhelmed when I think of the blessing we have, in being made in the image of God. The Lord created so many amazing things, and yet only we are made in His image. Isn't that wonderful? The reason that thought came into my head, is because I was thinking of what a joy it is to be able to sing. I thought about the birds. They can sing alright! They can sing better than I, and yet, they can't enjoy it in the same way I can! A bird could not experience the same feeling that I do when I sing the last verse of "In Christ Alone":

"No guilt in life,

No fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me!

From life's first cry,

To final death

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell,

No scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand,

Till He returns, or calls me home,

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand."

Birds sing, because that is nearly the only noise they can make. I sing, because it gives me pleasure, and it is a way I can praise my Creator. And you know what? I think Jesus smiles when he sees me enjoying those sorts of things. I mean, singing is not necessary. He could just have easily left out whatever part of me it is that can sing. Smelling and tasting is not necessary. But He wanted me to be able to eat and enjoy His wonderful fruits and vegetables. Even seeing colors is not strictly necessary. I mean, couldn't God have just made the sky gray. And the trees black. And me a faded shade of brown. And the grass charcoal? But our Lord and Master is so awesome and tender and considerate, that He decided to paint the sky a glorious blue, and the grass an emerald green, and me several different colors! :) And God didn't stop there! He invented iridescent feathers on birds, so that everything would coordinate nicely! :) Bluebirds aren't really blue you know, but who can resist smiling when you see one swoop down like a shred of sky onto the lawn? I can't.

I guess this is sort of a strange post, with me digressing on rather small things, but....I do feel that it is dreadfully important to not take these small things for granted. I know, that one of my biggest fears would be to go blind. So I make up for that by absorbing and praising God for each and every shred of color I see! ;) But really, even though it sounds terribly trivial and trite, I see the wisdom in that old saying "take time to smell the roses". Or at least, to recognize the beauty of the dew on the grass, or the way the buttercup petals look like fans mined out of gold! -Rach

The Name

Hey guys! I just started a really great book by Franklin Graham called "The Name". It attempts to explain the great and awesome power behind the name of Jesus Christ. One part I especially liked in the opening chapter reminded us that (roughly) "when someone uses His name to curse, no one thinks twice about it, but when it is used in a respectful, reverent way, you suddenly offend many." One true story he told brought tears to my eyes, as it illustrated what the Lord has done for us all.
Here it is roughly: "In a county in the middle east, there were two boys. One day, they got into a heated arugument while on a rocky hillside, and Abdul pushed Mohammed down the mountain, accidently killing him. Of course, he was horrified that he had killed his best friend, and scared, for in his culture, the rule still was "A life for a life". Abdul ran to the first tent he saw and threw himself down beside it, grabbing the tent peg. In that culture, if you held onto the peg of a tent, the person inside would offer you protection. In response to Abdul's cries, an old, respected man came to the door of the tent, and told the boy to go inside. He swore he would protect him. A few moments later some men who had witnessed the murder ran up, demanding that Abdul be brought outside and punished by being put to death. The old man stood firmly in the doorway and told them, "I have promised to protect this boy."
"But he's a murderer!" one man cried.
"Nevertheless, I have sworn that I will protect him. If you want the boy, you must come past me first!"
The men looked at eachother. "Do you know who he killed?"
The man shook his head.
One of the witnesses said in a very somber voice, "The boy you now protect killed your one and only son. You are harboring and protecting the murderer that killed your only child!"
The old man's face went pale. He set his mouth determinedly and said, looking steadily at the men, "It would do me no good to give him up to you to be killed. I will adopt this boy. He shall live with me in my tent, and be my son. When I die, he shall inherit all I have."

Isn't that amazing? It really made me look at God's love for us in a different light: My despicable sin cause Christ to have to die on the cross in order for me to be with Him in Heaven. My flesh and the flesh of each of us, killed the most noble, courageous, perfect hero of all time. He could have looked at my miserable sin and condemned me. Instead, he layed down his life for me, for He loved me so much. And then, God, having such mercy, looked at the sacrifice His son had made, and chose to adopt me, that I may have a place in His home beside Jesus, who was so powerful that no evil could hold him in the grave. Isn't that amazing? I'm afraid I sometimes take the whole ingenious plan for granted, and never stop to think of what an ironic thing it really was! Anyway, hope that made someone think, and, though I am only part-way through the book, I suggest you read it! -Rachel

`Ello! I'm Nurse Rachel. Me job is Sanitizing an' all that!

Oh my stars and stockings! Yesterday I had the opportunity of bringing sunshine indoors when there was none outdoors. Here's what happened: we have a veritable sick-house this weekend with Gracie down with a fever for the third day, Daniel with an unsettled stomach, and the rest of us in various stages of consumption. ;) (Just kidding, we just have coughs) So. Mama had been up all night with Gracie who was terribly restless, and had to go grocery shopping for the better part of the day. The girls had been doing deep-cleaning, which as most of you know, ends up with the house looking worse than it did before in most cases. I had been occupied all day with auditing all Dad's contracts, (office work on a rainy day- not a good combination :) and tag-teaming with Sarah on sitting with poor little Gracie. It was raining and terribly muddy, and the younger kids couldn't go out to play. Sound depressing? Yep. I was feeling rather as if I lived in a hospital ward, only, a very cluttery one. But instead of being down in the mouth, the Lord gave me an idea: why couldn't I make sunshine? So. Without further ado, Leah and I bleached every blessed surface of the house, including salt and pepper shakers, backs of chairs, and appliance buttons, to give us a fresh start. Then, we cleaned up the house. I turned on all the lights. I started laundry. I sent the younger ones outside to stomp in puddles. I sat with Gracie on the porch to give her a breath of fresh air. I told she and Abby a "Luke and Liza" story, which the latter had been begging for for days... we all worked together to make the house a pleasant place.
The fresh air revived Gracie enough that she even asked to stomp in puddles too! So we did. Then, with everyone in a much better humor, Mama came home, and we restocked our barren wasteland of a pantry. Anyway, although this was probably not the most interesting post ever, I thought I'd just tell you how we rescued ourselves from the fate of spending the evening in a dim, dusty, sick-house. So, although it is raining today for the third day in a row, even though there are puddles enough to make me dream that a dolphin was stranded in our front yard, even though Gracie is still sick and we are expecting at least Abby to fall prey to the germ, a merry heart truly doeth good like medicine. -Rachel

Waltzing With The Clothes Line and The Patience of Job

Hey guys! (this is Rachel) Okay. So I'm having a time judging this contest: Abigail got all but two correct, but didn't finish the quotes, and Leanna only got 3 right, but she did finish the quotes. Blast! Why can't this be easy? I guess, Leanna wins since she did do it all. So tell us something to post about and we will!
Here are the answers for those of you who couldn't figure it out:

1. "Knights and ladies, monks and pages...." (Little women. Jo is reading her story aloud, "...elves and flowergirls all mingled gaily in the dance. Pauline cried out in horror as her bridegroom's mask fell, disclosing not her lover Ferdinand, but the face of his sworn enemy: Count Antonio. `Revenge is mine,' quoth he! Continued in the following edition!"
2. "You're my brother from..." (Fireproof....another mother, but now we got the same father!")
3. "What's that?" "This, my friend is a pint!" ( The Fellowship of the Ring."They come in pints? I'm gettin' one!")
4. "I can out talk, out chaw, out drink, out fight, out dance, Yeah, out fight!...." (Davy Crockett and the River Pirates. "Anyone on the whole Missisip!"
5. "I think I'd like to be a nun. Wouldn't it be wonderful to...." (Anne of Avonlea. "be the bride of Heaven? But then, I'm not Catholic, so I'd hardly qualify for that position!")
6. "I'll settle your hash as soon as I get this premises.." (The Music Man, ".. off of my oldest girl!")

Okay. Now for the remainder of this post. Have any of you all ever witnessed "The Clothesline Waltz"? It is a peculiar dance done by homemakers on a windy day. I participated in one today, and had a very handsome red and white checkered tablecloth as my partner! ;)
Here is how it works: You stand beside the clothesline, and gracefully lift an item from the basket. Despite being heavy, the item flaps around- this is the beginning of the dance. You side-step a bit to keep your skirt out of the way of the wet fabric. Then, gently lifting the item onto the line, you let go with one hand to grab a clothespin- this is where it gets difficult. The line blows forward, and you must lightly step backwards to avoid being slapped. Just as soon as you renew you grip after a quick spin around, (picking up the end that fell during the stiff breeze) the clothesline snaps backward. Then you must do three tip-toes steps forward, and jab the remaining pins onto the item. Voila! The waltz is complete. Now repeat 2 dozen more times. :)
So. The other half comes in here, though on a different subject.
For days now I have for some reason had a very, very trying time of things. Often I have thought that everything happening would test the patience of a Job. You know when something that you've done a million times won't work? For instance, on Wed. (I think?) I had cut out all the pieces to my Scottish attire I am attempting to make. Then my machine went rather haywire. That plan busted, I decided to still be productive, and make bread. Guess what? We terribly badly needed to go shopping, and had no sugar to put in the bread.
Then today, I have spent probably 2 hours total ripping out stitches I had put into the sewing project, because after fixing the machine, I had begun to sew, and between one thing and another, (including a relapse in the same problem) I had to take out the stitches I'd say.....7 or 8 times?) And then, to top it off, I was trying to print off my book for the test families, and had had Mama buy paper and notebooks, and the printer runs out of ink on only the second copy.
Now, there is a point to all this: Whenever I find things going crazily "wrong", I stop and realize that maybe the Lord doesn't want me doing that thing right then. I have no idea why He wouldn't wish me to be sewing today, but He does! And I have found ample opportunities this week to give up my plans, and a chance have a good attitude about it.
I think it is important to remember that each trial we fall into we should count all joy. Really, aren't you glad that Jesus gives us so many tests? It certainly is a good chance to look closer at our spiritual health: Are we really wanting His plan, even in the little things? Are we going to be donkeys and insist on doing things our way?
Anyway, just something to think about! Congratulations Leanna! :) -Rachel

"Yoo-hoo! Any Knights Still Alive?"

Hi everybody! I thought I'd take some time this afternoon and do a post of more substantial value than anecdotes from our trip...

Lately I've been reading Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. If anyone of you haven't read it, you really should. It is a brilliant masterpiece. So well-written if fact, that I found myself absolutely intrigued by the picture of knights in shining armor contesting on a field to win the prize of choosing the "Queen of Love and Beauty". Is it any wonder that a girl begins to long for the days of merry old England when chivalry was practiced by most, and cherished by all? When a man would fight to the death another man who had insulted a woman in any fashion? When the prize of keeping a maiden safe was coveted and contested for? I found myself wondering in a sighing sort of way, "Where have all the knights in shining armor gone?"
Isn't that funny? We maidens immediately assume that it the fault of the knights that they are not around. But if we feel that way, we are making a mistake. Let me tell you what really happened...
We maidens were not content to stay at the castle and be maidens. Nay, we refuted the help of a knight too many times. We, in foolish, puffed-up pride, decided that we could rescue ourselves from the dragon of so called "unfulfillment" by wearing the shining armor ourselves. We forsook the art of supporting the knights, and training our brothers to be knights, for some twisted picture that if we wore the shining armor, (that so ill-fits the feminine form and graces) we could rise to new heights, and come out princesses still. But while reaching for that illusive, wrong goal, here's what happened.
The knights found themselves unwanted. They were stripped of their dignity and manliness. Now that everyone wears armor, none of it shines. The armor, and chivalry has been dimmed by wrong ideas, and being refused over and over again. A knight no longer thinks to be strong for a lady. He has been lashed with a woman's tongue too many times, laughed at for trying to help her, and his place has been filled by maidens masquerading in armor, pretending to be happy. This is extemely wrong.
But take heart my maidens, and if any "closet knights" are reading this, listen please:
There is a host of maidens growing up, waiting willingly to be rescued by a true, chivalrous knight. There is another host of knights, who are dusting off their armor, daring to be men, and opening doors for ladies, whether they want it or not.
Let's not be deceived in thinking that chivalry has and always will have gone the way of leg-warmers, and bell-bottoms. No. But we as maidens must take pains to show the willing, but shy knights, that we are of a legion who wants to be rescued. And in this God-given position, we will find true fulfillment in being princesses: Daughters of the King of kings.

Barefoot On The Battlefield

Here is something I have been wanting to post about for awhile, and since Dad read this passage today in church, now is as good as ever!
Okay. Picture this: You wake up another morning on the battlefield. All is quiet for now. The hush of dawn slowly gives place to the faint sounds of a bird singing. All seems peaceful enough. Yet you know that the enemy is camped just on the other side of that hill, and you surely will pitch battle against him today. You get out of your cot and go out into the morning. You are mentally prepared, knowing that you will be in a battle today. But you don't want to take the time to put on your breastplate and helmet and take a sword with you. In fact, you don't even have your boots on! You are ill-equipped in every way. Most people, including your family, and your friends and anyone with a spark of common sense would tell you that you were being foolish, crazy, and they might even cart you off to an insane asylum. That is pure ridiculous folly to go into battle unarmed. But, that is really what we do if we don't start our day with spending time with God. So many times I have seen this pattern in my life: I wake up and spend time with God, my day is easier. I wake up and do my own thing, I am stuck in a rut of doing the things I wouldn't, and not doing the things I would. God's word tells us that there is spiritual warfare all the time! We are essentially being fools if we don't prepare against that.
Eph. 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."
So we even have a warning. And we have been supplied with a complete combat uniform that is eternally, and always undefeatable!
"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;...." (Eph. 6:13-17)
Isn't this a beautifully victorious passage?! With this spiritual armor, which only takes a few quiet, prayerful, and reflective moments to put on, we are able to quench ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED ONE!!! Doesn 't that make you excited? It is so inspiring to me, because so many times I come into battle unprepared, and feel beat up the whole rest of the day. And another thing, we have constant contact with our Captain. No matter where I am He is there, and is always watching and protecting me. That is an amazing thought.
So I just thought that I'd do a post to encourage all of us, (myself included) to take the time to properly equip ourselves for such an important job. That of being beacons of God's light, of carrying His "colors" through territories that the Enemy has deceived, and "having done all, to stand." That is an invigorating picture!
-Rachel

Musings of a Merry Christmas

Due to some sickness around church, and the fact that no other families are prepared to host church, there is just going to be no church today! That means this will be a nice, relaxing sort of day. Perfect for working on Christmas presents. Only the last two presents I must make are for Dad and Daniel, and they will be home. So nix that idea! Last night we decorated our tree finally! It seems so strange to put it up only 6 days from Christmas, but I'm really glad we still have one! Okay! It has been a long time since I've done a post of any substance, so I thought I'd do one that was a bit deeper than "Ho-hum, I hate chia pets!" ;)
So saying.... Merry Christmas! (And yes, I meant Merry Christmas. Not Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings!) when I put all the Christmas presents I had made for people under the tree, I was so excited, thinking about when each person opened the one I had made especially for them. I think homemade presents are the best kind, because since you spend even hours making the gift for someone, you are thinking about them the whole time. And since you must work for the present, there is a whole process of thinking what this person delights in, what they like doing, etc. Anyhow, I was getting excited over several (I love when gifts turn out!) and then a thought crossed mind, that I am sure was God speaking to me, "This is how God must have felt sending us his son Jesus1" Can't you imagine Him smiling happily each time a person stopped to admire His handiwork? Don't you think He was thrilled when a person realized who this baby really was? This tiny child was the way that God had planned before time to save us all. Can you imagine the excitement that must have been God's as he watched Jesus's life unfold? He knew the whole time that this was His present to all of the world, and He was so joyful at the thought of the wonder we would be filled with when we hear of such a plan!
But you know, have you ever given somebody a gift that you can tell they didn't like? Or they didn't even bother to open the card that you carefully watercolored yourself? Such disappointment the Lord must have felt when His children threw his Gift in the dust, stepped on Him, spit on Him, and complained that God had "forgotten them on their birthday and didn't care enough about them to give them a gift." Here was a beautiful Savior for the world living in their midst, telling them God's plan, yet all we could do was pitch a fit because this Gift was not wrapped in shiny paper with a big silver bow. No. God's gift to us on that Christmas morning, and for all time was wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Not under a Christmas tree. Let's please try to remember in the excitement of giving to others, the pleasure it must give God when we praise Him for His gift. Because I'm telling you straight up. If you don't recognize that Jesus was the ultimate gift that anyone could ever give, than your priorities are askew! Merry Christmas!
-Rachel