Thursday, February 27, 2014

That which sustains

Dr. Martin Luther King, in a very moving recording titled a knock at midnight, discusses his source of strength in the midst of intense persecution...
(watch the video, he is much better at preaching than I!)

Persecution.. Pain.. Heartache.. Sorrow.. Loss.. Love.. Joy.. Freedom.

All elements of every human life. And yet, we are encouraged and expected to press on, live life fully, as unaffected by these elements as we can so that we endure to the end.... And then we die... 

I suppose that is the basic idea. I know that when I was not yet a christian that was my idea. I really didn't know the purpose or the logic of living with trauma and heartache other than getting through day by day acting unscathed...

And then I became a christian, and my thoughts changed to live life fully so that I could give glory to God, share my hope with others, and spend eternity with Jesus. But still, the concept of pressing on unscathed was in the back of my mind... since my thoughts didn't change about my situation, now was I to pretend I wasn't hurting, or wounded, or angry?

In the book Pastrix by Nadia Bolz-Weber, there is a passage which was a fresh reminder to me of the challenges we face...
So if Gods first move is to give us our identity, then the devils first move is to throw that identity into question. Identity is like a lip of a spool of thread, which, when pulled, can unwind the whole thing.
This brings me back to Dr. King - That which sustains... Gods promises that he will be with us to the end of the age... Never alone.

Back to the truth of scripture, that God is a keep about you, with you in the midst. That you are HIS, and that since he calls you by name, he will not leave you. Christs triumph over death on the cross which provides us with the ability to face even death with hope. 

There is a sunday school song on my mind now, a silly little kids song with some amazing depth of theology: I have a river of life flowing out of me... makes the lame to walk and the blind to see... opens prison doors sets the captives free... I've got a river of life flowing out of me...
We have to live like we believe this. This is what sustains. Not physical strength, nor money, nor power, nor any other human thing. Our identity in Christ and the truth of his resurrection power.

When we live like this, we will find joy and hope in each day, no matter the circumstance.

(thanks to Dr Paul Metzger for presenting this theme at the PDX Justice Conference 2014, and to Nadia Bolz-Weber for writing such a profound book)

Monday, February 24, 2014

Raising Money for our Dream Home!

This is completely an advertisement.
I sorted out a pile of my books to start the process of purging and packing - and came across a pile that I will be giving to our local used bookstore. BUT.

Before I do that, I thought I would offer them to you, my dear readers.

They are almost all in excellent condition, with many of the cookbooks unread! Everything below is available for a minimum donation of $1 each.  I will gladly send photos! I can ship and I can take a check, paypal, or you can use our gofundme to support this endeavor (gofundme minimum is $5) This is easier than half.com!

Food:
Once a Month Cooking by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg c1992
Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor Anne Byrn c2001
Weeknight Wonders Ellie Krieger c2013
BHG 365 Comfort Foods c2014
Fix it and Forget it New Cookbook Phyllis Good c2013
Soup Night Maggie Stuckey c2013
225 Best Pressure Cooker Recipes Cinda Chavich c2013
The Artisan Bread Machine Judith Fertig c2011
Mug Cakes Leslie Bilderback c2013
Betty Crockers Kids Cook! c1999
BHG New Junior Cookbook c2004
American Girls - Kirsten's Cook Book, Samantha's Cook Book, Addy's Cook Book c1994

Other:
What not to wear for every occasion Woodall & Constantine c2003
The Kids' Nature Book Susan Milord c1989
People in History Fiona Macdonald c2001
Harry - three book set Gene Zion
Amelia Hits the Road & Amelia Writes Again - Marisa Moss c1996
Samantha An American Girl - books 1,3,4,5,6 (and book 4 Happy Birthday Kirsten)
Madeline - Ludwig Bemelmans (four books)
Jungle Book, The (Unabridged Classics)The Mysterious Benedict Society books 1-3
Redwall Brian Jacques c1986
Seven Jen Hatmaker c2012
How to Study the Bible for yourself - Tim Lahaye c2006
Doctrine Driscoll & Breshears c2010
The Wind in the Willows - Sterling Publishing
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Sterling Publishing
The Jungle Book - Sterling Publishing

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

calling this home


I was determined to leave this place!

In fact, I was so determined, I drove around all of my favorite neighborhoods in Portland pretending I could live in one. I reviewed rentals, apartments, and houses, very discouraged but convinced that the right one was out there. I was battling demons left and right, between a too small house with a passel of teens, real or imagined walls about me in community, and an inability to provide the simplest of things to my husband - a car which would allow him to drive to and from work...

However, in the course of human events, some things are outside our control. Spaces and places grow upon us, like moss, and we can't shake them. Friendships fasten to our marrow and the very thought of losing them sends us out in a daze.

I'm a city girl. With a city heart. And yet, this small, not even quaint town has stolen my breath.

There are big city lights in my dreams and travels, but here I have dark back country roads and quiet farms to greet me. I have river and wood, dogs and friends, all to greet me day by day.

Lets not forget the fog. My companion in the winter, the clackamas river fog...

A number of years ago I had a debate regarding acceptance versus resignation. It is so easy to resign. So much more difficult to accept.

I'm afraid I will have to be content with the small catechism for my liturgy. I have to continue to kick the doors and climb the walls as long as I must to press on as the woman I was created to be. I'm afraid visiting dear friends on a good Sunday will have to provide me with the oxygen my lungs need when the limits are hit.

I've fallen in love with a barn. Its the silliest thing, a house in the shape of a barn on a lot the size of a shoe, and I'm in love. I'm in love with the idea of a neighborhood to greet each day, a river to wander with the dogs, and a home of my very own to share with all who enter in...

You are welcome, one and all. For a moment, an evening, or a limitless adventure. 

Saturday, February 15, 2014

On Raising Girls



Early in my momma journey my mind went totally panicky. There I was, raising GIRLS! 

Girls.

Even the doctor’s office was apprehensive; they did three ultrasounds on my last girl, just to be sure. The very reality of three girls led many people to say things like “oh, wow. Just wait until they are teenagers.”  

Yes, three girls. 

Not only that, but they are incredibly close in age. In fact, right now they are 16, 15, and 13. 9. I added the point nine to be very clear about how close they are in age. Said another way, Rachel and Sarah are 2-1/2 years apart. With Emily in the middle!

Early on I knew that I had everything stacking against us. People are afraid of teenagers, teenage girls particularly, and since I am neither afraid of teenagers nor afraid of teenage girls I decided to give it a fighting chance. That and it has taken me a long time to grow up, so maybe I was feeling a little like a teenager myself at the beginning. 

Let’s tear this up a bit. I was nineteen when I became pregnant with Rachel. I had spent my teenage years on the sofas and in the care of friends, rather than family. I knew few people who were married, few of my friends had a set of parents at home, and I wasn’t married either. As far as girls go, I was much closer to boy; my first THREE closest friends in my life were boys, I got along better with boys than girls, and I preferred hard work to ease. I had done my hair the same way since 7th grade, wore little makeup, and hated shopping. I was, practically, the LAST person in the world equipped to raise girls. 

And yet, I love it. I love these girls, who they are becoming, and who I have become.  I even know how to put makeup on now!

So, to encourage those would be could be mommas out there, those that are desperate for some sort of encouragement with their passel, or some humor, or something to argue about, here it is. Here is everything I know about raising these girls. 

My first stop when pregnant, after I decided I could do this thing and told my fiancĂ©, was buy a book. Not just any book, this was the late 90’s and I needed to know what to expect! And then I wasn’t convinced so I bought another book, of an unremarkable title, but I did like it better. 

More stable, and full of caffeine from my lovely gig at a coffee shop, I went on through the pregnancy uneventful day after uneventful day, until I was just about ready to settle into the momma role when I dumped several coffees on a group of business people and their laptops. I survived, I think their laptops did too, but from that day I stuck to simpler things like vacuuming. 

And then, Rachel was born. And I realized that those books, well, they didn’t help me much with this BABY! So I did what any normal mom would do, I cried. There were more books to my rescue, and thankfully the internet in its antique form. How desperately I needed those moms online forums! How critical AIM was to my survival!

I quickly became a follower of attachment parenting. It made the most sense to me, then and still now, and while I wasn’t a 100% die hard follower, I did embrace a number of things which I think helped us get to where we are today. 

I found the encouragement I needed to breastfeed my girls, each as long as they were able. Sarah was the longest, as she was also my youngest… If I tell you I nursed her two years I would be lying; same with five. It was somewhere in there though, just to be honest. Rachel holds the record for briefest time due to becoming pregnant with Emily and some archaic medical advice. She survived her loss with no hard feelings, and is quite fine to this day! 

I loved wearing my girls. I had a sling, a front pack, and a backpack – I think I only used all three at the same time once! You see, I didn’t have a driver’s license until I was 25. Yes, I really learned to drive with three car-seats in the car!  Since I wasn’t the sort to sit about at home waiting for my husband to take me places, we did a lot of walking and taking the bus. Strollers were incredibly inconvenient and difficult to haul about. I have amazing memories of those years, and I really miss it. The sling was a staple for me until Sarah was four, at which time even using it to keep her on my hip became a bit much. 

We also co-slept, at times for comfort and at times for my sanity. By the time the three were born, there wasn’t an extra drop of sleep in the house unless it was attached to a baby. I will never forget the days of trying to get them to take a nap – Sarah was probably 2, and they all shared a room. I remember lying across their bedroom door flat on the floor just begging for five minutes!

Moving past those formative years (for all of us) I also did some things that I was chastised about, or that I complained about then, but now know that they were a gift. The girl’s shared one bedroom until Rachel was 9; and they have shared off and on since (as a matter of fact, they share a room now.) Much can be said about their generation… but one thing can be said that I know is true, all teenagers everywhere act like we encourage them to. To be both fair and clear, the girls didn’t share a room so I could teach them to be kind to one another, which is good because it hasn’t worked! They do share a room, and did so then, because we have never had four bedrooms, and because we have always had a houseguest of one sort or another – usually a family member or close friend in need of a home.  This is something I hope we were able to instill in them, an overall loving and compassionate heart. Depth of character is worth far more than being ultra kind to your sister every day, all the time (which I think will work itself out anyway!) 

I wasn’t involved in women’s stuff, children’s stuff, or anything that we weren’t part of together. I did try a number of times, when the girls were tiny. But in the end, between my incredible insecurities and their absolute loathing of all things “care” – we spent a lot of time as a single little hurricane of girl. This cost me dearly, as friends couldn’t understand, as I couldn’t understand, as the church couldn’t understand, as family couldn’t understand. But, as is so often said, in hindsight, it was good.

Have I overlooked anything? 

Hmm.  Well, not that I can remember!

So, here we are with a house full of teenage girls, with teenage hormones and all the chaos that brings. Here is my advice, taken directly from our day to day life, and not proven to work as my oldest has yet to move out.

Rule One – know your children. I was incredibly blessed to get to know each one as a unique person, as they are uniquely different. They respond, react, and behave very different from one another.  If I tried to parent them identically I would be completely undone. 

Rule Two – sleep. Oh yes, being tired is the common cause for their psychotic episodes - see rule one for help identifying other triggers. Encourage them to sleep when they seem to need it. Naps are cheap. And take them yourself, as often as you are able. A clean house isn’t worth your exhaustion. 

Rule Three – Keep a hidden stash of chocolate. Lots of it. Chocolate, surprisingly, works as well as sleep. Dole it out like you give treats to pets. Pop it into their lunchbox, surprise them with brownies. Brownie mix works great as a Christmas gift! As a perk, if you share with them, they share with you. 

Rule Four – DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY. I was privileged to have a couple teenage girls in our home when these three were tiny. Their impact was so helpful! They were crazed, and crazy, and none of it could possibly be my fault! I realized, hey – wait a minute – ALL teenagers can be like this, and it is often just directed at whomever (or whatever) is in view. So don’t take things too personally. They don’t hate you, even when they say it. This will pass, and the less personally you take it, the faster and better it will be. 

Rule Five – keep being the parent. I’ve learned to say bummer a lot. I don’t bother with the word no very often; it is an overused and actually inaccurate word. Usually they know a “no” when it is before them. They may ask some hilarious question, or demand something ridiculous… They will try; they would be fools not to. Shoot, I still try, and yes, I guess I’m still foolish! 

Rule Six – let them own their mistakes and pain. Oh, did one fail today, on a test perhaps, or in character? I will be really blunt and tell you that pointing their weakness out as anything other than being human will get you nowhere. They know when they have screwed up, and your dissection of it will create a bigger rift than necessary today. There will surely be a day to talk about it, and you may have to talk consequences right away, but don’t dissect in the moment. For the love of God, please hear my words. Teenagers, especially those about 13-16, are very attune to your words. And many already think they are one step shy of being a horrible rotten failure. That is all part of being a teenager.  This is another area where I use the word bummer a lot. Usually it goes something like, oh, how did you do on that test today? … Oh, you failed? Bummer, it must suck to have to retake it. Or maybe… Is there anything you need from me that you haven’t told me? Tutoring? No? Okay then. I hope it works out better for you next time! Let me know if you need anything from me. Be a truth giver, not a critic. 

Rule Seven – keep talking. This looks contrary to what I just said, but here me out. The only way you will have a next time to talk with your kids is if you talk with them all the time. If you don’t take the time with them, they won’t take the time with you. (Sound familiar to any other relationships?) Talk life, love, faith, hope, college, dreams, boys, sex, drugs, alcohol, gardens, seeds, pets, plants, friends, enemies, tv, music, games, books, anime, YouTube, food, cooking, parties, clothing… the list is long and could be longer.  Be yourself, be authentic, be real, and keep talking.  

Rule Eight – teach them to fly. By being real and authentic, you are showing them what life is. Practice your faith, rather than just exercising it. Do your best to love your spouse and work on that relationship to the best of your ability. Give generously, if you are a giver. Love freely, if you are a lover. Dance, sing, cry, smile… do all of these things and more with your whole self. 

Rule Nine – let them go. Give them room to fly on their own. My house is full of my girl’s art, our kitchen is easily shared, and my time is generally theirs. Rachel goes to an awesome school in another district; she really wanted to go so we worked together to make it happen. Emily has spoken often of her desire to be a doctor, and so we have been praying and seeking and she just made the decision to join the military. Sarah is sunshine, and just this year I happened upon a cool college program that sounded like a fit for her; it was so fun to share that with her and dream together! We started dreaming when they were each in the sixth grade, and it has been a fun adventure!

Rule Ten – make them do their own laundry. Oh mom, I know you are not really too busy to do it for them, but DON’T. They can do quite fine at 9 years old, and you are helping them prepare for LIFE. Trust me. Who cares if they shrink their favorite shirt because THEY forgot to take it out of the dryer? Who cares if they turn their undies pink? Contrary to all of your friends (and theirs!) it really isn’t a reflection of who you are and how you manage a house. Bummer is really helpful with laundry.. and you can un-shrink a wool sweater (just do it as a surprise, it makes things fun!) Did I mention it’s good for them, and for you?

Remnants…. There are things that can’t fit so nicely so I will just tack them here. Silly things, like prepare ahead of time to always have extra deodorant, feminine products, makeup, shampoo, and razors. Keep a small kit for yourself tucked away, because you may discover a desperate need at an awkward moment.  Stay young and keep light. Laugh. Dance. Sing. Teach them to drive, it is quite fun! Budget together. Pray together. Shop together. Gift together. Travel together. Eat together. Mourn together. 

Above all, love them as best you can, and know that they are being shaped into the women this world needs. Women of faith, of character, of hope.

In memory

Today our community says goodbye to Grady Waxenfelter. Seems fitting that it's pouring down rain; fitting for the tears, the grief, the pain.

And it's true, what can wash away our sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

The rain can wash over our sorrow but the rain cannot provide us with hope.

The love of Christ provides hope. We miss you Grady, almost more than we can bear. Yet we must confidently live hidden with Christ until we meet again.

Well done, good and faithful servant.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

safe harbor

This is a great place to rest but not a good place to live

Safe harbor is lovely when storms are about. I can't stay here; much
as I might want to. Ships are designed to be at sea.

My ship... my ship is going to pause a while. Supplies are low and
it's going to take time to find a new crew... The sails need repair,
and  there's some patching to do on the hull. But spring is coming, I
will have to press on. I want to be ready when the southerly blows.

Life can be pondered in this way.  Our lives are much like ships on a
vast and endless ocean...  with storms and floods,  sunshine &
freedom... right at our fingertips.

We have to chase it ... It doesn't come just by sitting still in the harbor.

I think about David in the cave of Adullum ~ I think about him
pondering Saul's life in his hands... I think of Christ in the garden
of Gethsemane...  Knowing his fate and the fate of all mankind...

I find it interesting that I've been so aware this year. I don't know
if it's age or maturity or awakening but there's something different
now. I'm grateful for that. As painful as the lessons are ... as
hollow as my stomach feels .... as heavy as the burden .. I know this
is this is actually pretty awesome. I know that every moment has been
for purpose. I know that every dream has been a gift. I know that
every hope has a future.

As for me, I'll spend this season in the harbor, preparing to venture
out again... Into the vast and endless ocean that's before me.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

snow and sorrow

gently falling softly covering
so fitting for this time of grief
stark clarity when we open our eyes
gaze for a moment in wonder
and long... long... long... for rest.


So where is God today? Is he silent to our tears, to our rage, to our pain?
No.

A life well lived is one full of hills and valleys, trails and trials, gorges, waterfalls, and oceans. Some elements are vast - and some difficult, but all are part of an amazing adventure.

It is in these moments that we ponder much. Pain and sorrow bring focus that cannot come in any other way. It is the way of man, to search for ease and seek for pleasure so as to escape from the truth.  Russel Brand, in an interview given last year, describes his struggle with drugs and alcohol in this way: "Drugs and alcohol are not my problem — reality is my problem."

So, reality it is. I'll admit it, I'm not fond of reality all the time. I'm not fond of reality right now, actually.

In the Psalms, David speaks often of his desire for nothing more than the presence of God.
Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. Psalm 119:49-50

My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.  Psalm 119:81
I lift my eyes up to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD wil keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.  The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121

I have to close remembering the lesson I learned on this Psalm. In plain English it appears completely insane, especially this week. However, Bo Stern taught me once that the word keep in this Psalm is to be considered more like a hedge about you; all around you. (like a keep, a castle)

and...

In all these things we are discussing our eternal life. Not so much this one, as we know David, and many psalmists, and many countless people from the bible and all human history, suffered physically due to evil. yet.

We have a solid hope. We are surrounded on all sides, through and through. May we therefore live life with our eyes fixed, as Davids were, on Christ. May we hold one another up as we face reality day by day. And may we grieve as those who have hope.