Faithfulness on Friday Link Up

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The lessons on Sunday mornings have been centered around the Tabernacle as we prepare to host the Tabernacle Experience. It never ceases to amaze me how clearly Christ is pictured through each element included in the Design God gave to Moses for its construction. 


Sunday, Tim explained how the Altar of Burnt Offering was built out of acacia wood, then covered in bronze. He told us that there were only three altars built of wood in the Bible: the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Altar of Incense (both from the Tabernacle), and the Cross. 


Bronze, an alloy made of two metals, covers the Altar of Burnt Offering and provides the perfect picture of Christ: Fully God, Fully Man. On that Altar, the first thing you come to as you enter the Courtyard of the Tabernacle, the sin of each individual must be confronted and dealt with, just as we must recognize our sin before we really understand our need for a Savior. 


Preparing for the event that begins Friday, Rosh Hashanah, we have had to come up with a substitution for any open flames at the Altar and the Lampstand because of the severity of the drought here. The Lampstand was simple. But the fire on the Altar has been much more difficult. We looked online for "theatrical" alternatives, but they were expensive ($450). A DIY project looked to be our best solution. And so the labor began. Kregg built a type of wooden box on legs that would support a box fan lying horizontally. He made a grate to go across the top to attach the fake flames to and that would prevent the wooden shims that each visitor "offers" on the altar from falling into the fan. Lights were going to be attached to the bottom side of the grate.


Kregg finished his part several days ago and the boys painted it for me. My part, the flames, hasn't gone so well. The first type of fabric I bought, trying to save money, didn't work at all. So I bought the silk, like the DIY instructions suggested. It was such a tedious task to make the 3D flames and attach them to the grate. I finally finished them today (Wednesday). 


It looked ridiculous! 


I started praying again that the Lord would make a way for me. The Altar of Burnt Offering cannot look SILLY! It didn't have to be anything extraordinary, but it did NOT need to be distracting. Those fake flames didn't look anything like fire. I could just imagine the guests, having entered the reverent atmosphere inside the Courtyard, walking up to the Altar and bursting out in laughter. Not really the effect we were striving for. We were hoping for them not to even THINK about the flames on the Altar, but instead to be concentrated on how this was a picture of Christ. 


I grabbed my purse and headed back to the hardware store to look ONE MORE TIME for an non-burning-fire. It was to the point that I was willing to buy one of those electric fireplaces and try to come up with some way to make it work. We have been working on all of this for weeks! And I am not usually one to leave things until the last minute. But there I was--back to square one with less than 24 hours before it needed to be ready. 


I walked the "fake fireplace" aisle at the store seeing nothing that would work. Then I walked it again. Sitting atop a high shelf was this little display of a set of electric logs! I looked and looked for a box that contained them, but could find nothing! 


I grabbed the display and tried to find a store employee to ask if I could buy it. I really needed two, because they were rather small, but one would have to do if that was all they had. A young man, who didn't even work in that department, "happened" to be standing there and he was more than willing to help me in any way he could. He finally located a number that would work in the computer so he could look up whether there were actually any in boxes. I stood there praying that they would have some. The computer showed that there were four! But they were no where to be found. We looked and looked and looked, when finally we spotted them, no where near the place they were supposed to be. 


I thought I was going to burst into tears right then and there and hug his neck!


And it's done! This task, that has taken I-don't-know-how-many-hours-of- frustration, is finished! 


I am so very thankful! 


He made a way for me today and, had I not spent so many hours seeking the solution, my gratitude would probably not have been what it should be. 


Now, I just smile, thinking how wonderful it will be to have a realistic looking substitute for such an important element of the Tabernacle. Did you know the Lord sent down fire from Heaven to consume the first offering that was offered on the Altar?! 


What a Mighty God we serve!

Now it's your turn! Will you share a Page in Your Heritage of Faith? Testify of His Faithfulness to you. May we each consciously compile a powerful testimony that will give our children stronger faith because of the stories we pass on to them. I want my kids to know their history--the history of our family--an how He has shown Himself Faithful over and over and over again! That's what this little link up is all about: to encourage us to write it down! Psalm 78 tells us we are to pass on the deeds of the Lord so that the next generation will place their trust in Him. 


We're not picky. Give us anything that testifies of His Faithfulness to you, to your family. It can be written today or a year ago, as long as it is a testimony of His Faithfulness in your life. Grab the button in the sidebar and encourage others to start their own collection of stories for their families. 

This Week's Lesson for the Youth

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We are helping with the youth at church by being "Life Guards" for those in 7th and 8th grade. The study we have just begun focuses on real life stories of people who are living out their faith in radical ways. The lessons start with a video showing a group of teens traveling around the country interviewing these  Christians and allowing them to observe their ministries, then we break into discussion groups.


This week, the group in the video traveled to Philadelphia and met Shane Claiborne. He had some very thought provoking things to say. I thought I would just throw a few of them out there to see what you think:


"We are going to stop complaining about the church that we've experienced and try to become the church that we dream of." 


"When people ask me, 'Why does God allow so much suffering, homelessness, sickness, etc., ' I tell them that I imagine the Lord turning that question around to me saying, "Why do you allow so much suffering, homelessness, sickness, etc.?" (If we are the hands and feet of Christ on earth, is it not our job to relieve much of the suffering we see?)


Claiborne spent a period of time in Calcutta with Mother Theresa and she told him, "There are Calcutta's everywhere, if you have the eyes to see."


I'm still chewing on these. Good food for thought. 

The Tabernacle Experience Arrives in Just a Few More Days

Marking out the dimensions

The Tabernacle Experience crew arrives here Wednesday evening and set up on the Tabernacle begins Thursday morning at 9 am. That evening we have volunteer training and a Pastor Preview. 

The Courtyard is 150 feet long and 75 feet wide

Because of the severe, extended drought, there is not much to clean off before we can set up. It is probably a pretty authentic site for the Tabernacle of the Wilderness, don't you think? Comparable to the Sinai desert? 

It will be open for 10 consecutive days, beginning on Friday, September 30th, Rosh Hashanah. We open at 9 am and are open until 8 pm. To staff the event, people have signed up for 4 hour shifts. It takes 7 people at a time and there are 3 shifts per day for a whopping total of 210 shifts! This doesn't include Set Up and Breakdown crews, and all the preparation and publicity tasks. 

An impromptu science lesson ensued when the kids found a huge collection of termite tubes! 

I will basically be living there for the duration. It will be interesting to see how all the logistics work with the kids and their schooling. Thankfully, the building that the youth use is close to the Tabernacle area and they can work there, with an adjusted list of assignments that will allow them to work independently. 


All of that to say that the Antbed will be in a state of suspended animation, with irregular if any posts, until after the event closes down on Monday, Oct 10. 


I covet your prayers. May He be Glorified through every thought, word, action of every volunteer and attendee! May He prepare each heart that will be serving as a volunteer. May He bless them for their sacrifice. May He call those He chooses to a powerful encounter with Christ as they tour the Tabernacle. May they see Him everywhere! May they come to a fuller understanding of Who He Is, What He Has Done. May He Protect, Provide, Preserve from anything or anyone that would desire to distract, discourage or destroy. 


I will try to still host the Link Up on both the Fridays for Pages in Our Heritage of Faith. I'll just have to see how things go between now and then. 

Do Everything: SCC

Elizabeth: Girl Photographer

We have another young photographer in the family. Elizabeth, our 13 year old, is following in big sister Hannah's footsteps.

 This is her beloved Mitzi. 

Visitors to the backyard hummingbird feeder.

 I love the contrast in this one between the dust at the horse's hooves and the water spraying from a sprinkler in the background. Elizabeth wants a horse so very badly, she aches. 

She is already learning things about her camera that I didn't learn until this year! 

We have had so many little cottontails in the yard this year. This one came into the girls' room to play for a little while.

 A gorgeous Swainson's Hawk hunting across the street

 If only that power line wasn't in the way! Look at those talons a split second before it lands!

 It just spied its next meal! Ready, set, ATTACK!

Poor old grackle probably never saw him coming. 


I think that's an incredible shot. 


Now Rebekah wants me to help her edit her pictures . . . 

An Honest View: A Link Up in Pages In Our Heritage of Faith

This is going to be short and sweet. There's no time to dance around what I need to say. 


The Lord has been showing me myself, in all my sinful hideousness. 


Don't worry! That was the most Loving thing He could do. 


And I am so very grateful. 


He has shown me in the last several days how, because of the arrogance in my heart, I have chosen too many times to be impatient or sarcastic toward my loved ones over the years. Every single thing I say with my eyes, my body or my words is to be held up to the standard of Christ. By showing me how I have fallen short of His Will for me, He has brought me to the point of conviction, repentance and restoration to His Plan. 


Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faith, Gentleness and Self Control 


No unwholesome talk, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs so that it may benefit the listeners


His Loving Correction and Instruction stirs up in us a desire for more Holiness, more Righteousness, more of Him. He is to be praised!


His Faithfulness to His Purpose will NEVER waver. Everything He speaks to us will be toward that end.


May I seek His Refining Fire, allowing Him to temper and purify every thought, word and action so that He is Glorified. 


Could the timing for this have something to do with our preparations to host the Tabernacle? 


With Him, there are no coincidences. 

Would you join us here as we testify to His Faithfulness in our lives? Tell how He has shown His Faithfulness to you, to your family. We would love to read your testimony. Old or new, doesn't matter. Grab the button at the right and add it to your post, if you like, so others may find your stories of Faith. The topic is God's Faithfulness, the details are up to you. :)

So Far Out of My "Comfort Zone," It's In Another Zip Code

As we continue to prepare for the arrival of The Tabernacle Experience next week, there have been so many things on the "To-Do" list that my mind doesn't want to turn off over night. It was especially bad the night before THIS! 


As hard as I tried to find ANYONE who would take THIS one off my list, there were no takers. So I arrived at the local CBS affiliate early Monday morning for an interview about the event, praying simply that He would be glorified. 

Looks like a normal hallway in an office building, doesn't it? Don't be fooled! It leads directly to the torture chamber.

I'm so glad I don't have to know what all those black boxes do.

I sort of hoped, since hardly anyone was there that early, that they had forgotten about me! After all, the Lord can bring whoever He chooses to an encounter with Christ at the Tabernacle Experience without a news interview, right? 

Apparently, it was necessary for me to suffer, though. 


They hadn't forgotten about me, much to my dismay.

The weatherman was very friendly and encouraging. He assured me that it wouldn't hurt a bit. 


I didn't believe him for a minute. 

The station is inside the mall and, just to make things worse, the studio has a glass wall so people may observe all the "goings on." Why would they do that?!!!


I was perched on the very edge of the "fainting couch", nervously awaiting my fate when, from directly behind me, I heard knocking!! I almost jumped out of my skin! When I turned around, there were two of the sweet ladies from church! Wanting to encourage me, we carried on a conversation in sign language back and forth through the glass. I smiled, then told them in my most polite body language to GO AWAY!!!! They laughingly understood and left me alone. 


The nice young weatherman offered to open the door and let them in! I told him, "NO! Do NOT open that door!" He just laughed. As did I, with my false bravado in fifth gear. 

Then they flipped on those horrid lights! EEEEKKKK! I think the end is near!

See that lovely young lady? She looks so sweet. But she actually wanted me to come sit in that empty chair across the table from her! Does she think I was born yesterday?! 


Then there's that sweet young man who had tried to lull me into a false sense of security by being friendly, all the while planning my demise. 


Somehow, I opened my eyes and I was, indeed, sitting at that little table with HER answering questions and telling all my most secret secrets. 


Okay, so it wasn't about me at all. 


She asked me questions about The Tabernacle Experience. 


Tabernacle??!! Never heard of it?


Project manager?  You must have the wrong person. 


Somehow, my mouth was moving and complete sentences were coming out of it! And I actually knew the answers to the questions she asked. Everyone was smiling. 


Then it was over. And they let ME LEAVE! I wandered through the halls trying to find the exit. Somehow, I ended up in an area I hadn't seen on the way in. That's a definite clue that a wrong turn was taken in my mad dash for freedom. 


There it was, an "EXIT" sign glowing over a door to the outside! Not the door I entered by, but when I peeked out, there was my escape vehicle! I half expected the world to look different somehow. But everyone else was going on about their business LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED!! 


The sweet friend who is handling all the Public Relations "To Do's," the one who actually went to all the work of setting up the aforementioned torture session, sent me a text after I had already made it back to the safety of my domicile that said, "Ummmmmm, did you get interviewed?"


What could I do?! That was just BEGGING for a practical joke! So my response? "WAS THAT TODAY???!!!!!!"


Pregnant pause.


Her response: "Yes."


Next: "Please tell me you're pulling my leg."


Time to let her off the hook.


Her next text (yes, she's still speaking to me):  "Hang on while I pick myself up off the floor."


Just thought someone else should have suffered with me for the occasion. :)


Several people sent me messages telling me they had seen it. It's funny, though, because the kids and I were busy and forgot all about it. Which is probably just as well. 

My Talented Husband

Kregg wears many hats: father, shepherd, businessman, hunting guide, board member for many organizations, and craftsman. In his spare time, he enjoys building furniture. He is completely self taught, just picked it up and figured it out. Amazing! I can simply rip a page out of a magazine showing a piece of furniture I like, and he can build it! 

When we were expecting our first child, he built a baby bed. He then decided he would make each one of our children their own, so they would be able to use it when they started having children. So sweet! But a dangerous precedent. :)


As the older ones began to graduate from high school, he decided to begin a new precedent: a piece of furniture. For Hannah, he made a mission style bookshelf with glass doors. I cannot find a picture of it in my files. But as life has grown more busy, the schedule has been a little delayed. Instead of having it finished when they graduate high school, it has now moved somewhere into the college years. 

But the wait is definitely worth it to receive a "Kregg Conder Original." Mackenzy's hope chest is basically finished!!! It still needs some felt "bumpers" so that it closes softly, and one more piece of hardware to keep the lid within the desired range of motion. But, it is now in her room, filled with all the things she has been saving. So sweet!


I love that my wonderful husband wants his children to have things crafted especially for them by his strong, loving hands. 

Providing a Framework for Young Hearts

As parents who love the Lord, we all desire our children to grow up into godly men and women who will honor Him and bring Him great Glory through the way they walk this earth. Admittedly, that goal is a lofty one. In fact, it can seem completely unattainable as we wrestle with the sin nature that rears it's ugly head sooner than we could have ever dreamed possible in our precious little darlings. 


And yet, as we read biographies of great men and women of God, we have testimony that it is indeed possible for these little "sinners" to grow up to be true reflections of Christ. But, how do we get there from here??! 


I must confess right up here at the front that I DON'T KNOW! I am still learning so much! But He has taught me so much! And some of that is what I hope to share here.


I remember going through LaMaze classes while expecting our first born. The labor and delivery went so fast! And there she was! Our precious Hannah, sent to us from above. I was in Love. And as the adrenaline continued to course through my veins, I remember walking around my hospital room unpacking and straightening things up after they brought me back to my room, while awaiting her arrival from the nursery where they were doing their initial screenings, etc.  And when the door swung open, an older nurse wheeled the little bassinet into my room while I beamed. 


Then the nurse spoke, "Honey, you are gonna have to sit on this child!"


To say I was a little taken aback would be a major understatement. I was outright offended. How dare she! 


Hahaha! I was so naive!! She knew exactly what she was talking about!! That very experienced nurse had seen enough babies that she pegged mine as incredibly strong willed from her first appearance in the hospital nursery. I had NO idea what I was in for! As we arrived at home, unlocked the door and made our way inside, we set her little carseat down in the middle of the living room floor. 


It was at that exact moment I had this overwhelming sense of panic well up inside me as my heart was screaming, "WHAT NOW??!!! WHAT ON EARTH DO I DO WITH HER NOW?" They had taught me all about birthing her, which seemed at the time so very important. But now what?? No one told me what to do next?


Well, I am happy to say that the Lord was and is Faithful! He took us from that point and Faithfully walked by our side, teaching us how to raise our children. I truly mean it when I say that I have probably gotten more wrong than right since that September day in 1987. And the reason I say that is not to be self deprecating, but to testify to His Sufficiency. I, who knew NOTHING about how to raise children, now have children who love the Lord and seek to spend their lives serving Him. So be assured that you, too, can reach your goal of having godly children. 


When Brandee asked me to write this post, she said she was looking for words that focused specifically on training our children to follow His Principles, and in so doing, becoming what they were Designed to become. That spoke to my heart because it is exactly the journey the Lord has guided us on. And is still guiding us on! Remember, I have 6 children who are still living here!!! :)


I think the foundational Truth that has impacted our parenting is that:


Every thought, word, and action reveals the heart. 


Understanding that gives a framework for our method of raising children. We deal with things in terms of character. That may sound simplistic, but Truth is quite simple. And so, when a child became old enough to understand right from wrong (which, by the way, is very young for many of them), we began to require obedience from them. Even before a child turns one, they may exhibit defiance or compliance. And from the time your will as a parent is challenged, you must engage the battle. 


The willingness to do this depends on our understanding that these precious little ones are born with a sin nature. They do not learn it "after the fact." Man is not inherently good. Man is inherently evil. Our children come to us with the seeds of sin in their hearts, and depending on the child and how God "wired" them, that sin nature may make itself known pretty early. Are they guilty of sin at that young age? No. But the makings are there and so the training begins from the earliest opportunity.


As soon as they are able to understand your words, talk to them about the "whys." When you talk to your children, discuss character qualities. Even toddlers can understand concepts like patience and kindness and service. And when you start from the beginning, or wherever you are in the parenting journey when the Lord reveals these things to you, they learn quickly what these traits look like. Instead of saying something like, "No, no. We don't do that," say instead, "It was unkind of you to take that toy away from your brother. You are being selfish. To be like Jesus, we are supposed to be generous with our things and share." By naming the character qualities, good and bad, children learn to look deeper than just the "surface" of their actions. They learn to label the motives of their own hearts.


In the same way, when I become impatient or grumpy in front of the kids, I need to confess in specific terms to them, labeling the character qualities by name, all the while pointing to the Lord as the One to whom we are responsible. When our children see us being accountable to the Lord, they learn that these are not just "Mom & Dad's Rules." It's much more serious than that. They see us taking our character seriously and they learn to take it seriously. 


When things in the family are dealt with on this level, it provides a strong framework for us to build into our children an understanding of God's Plan and Purposes for each individual. When we consistently point them to the fact that we are accountable and responsible for our choices before the Lord, it is an easy connection for them to see that He has Plans for them. 


The talents, giftings, and abilities He Designed into their beings help reveal what He desires to accomplish through them. Those unique aspects of their created beings are specially crafted by their Loving Father so that they may use them for His Glory. And when they are trained up from a young age to look deeply into the motives of their hearts, revealed by their character and seen through their choices, they learn how important it is for them to yield all to Him so that they can walk in the fullness of His Purpose for their lives. 

Every parent knows that each of their children is naturally gifted in certain ways. One of your children may be very creative, expressed through artistic talents, while another may show no artistic bent at all. That simply means their gifts lie in another area. When your child shows an interest in a specific area, encourage it. Feed the flame. Help them sate their curiosity in productive, meaningful ways, always pointing them to the Lord and His Design for their lives. Help them understand that the things they are good at are an indication of the direction He would like them to pursue in their service to Him. Give them a Big Picture view by telling them that you want to help them learn what He Designed them to become. Help them understand that they have an important role to fulfill in the Body of Christ and their giftings meet a specific need for the Body's role in the world. Pray with your child for discernment in what He Designed them to become. Model for them the seeking of His Face for direction and insight.


As a parent, you want to commission your child to accomplish his/her "mission" for Him. A sense of their Purpose, a Vision for their lives will give them a mighty defense against the lies and schemes of the enemy. That enemy will try to convince our children that they are worthless instead of priceless, incompetent instead of gifted, aimless instead of filled with purpose. By building into their spirits the Truth of who they are, they will more readily recognize these lies. By helping them walk in Purpose, they will be able to choose activities and friends that will help them accomplish that Purpose. By training them to recognize the motives of their own hearts through instruction in character qualities, they will learn to love Truth. They will learn to desire Truth in the innermost places of the heart. They will learn to accept responsibility for each of their choices and the consequences they set in motion, for good or evil, when they make a decision. 


So much of parenting in our nation over the last generation has not been based on Truth. It has been based on relativism and humanistic principles. Even those called by His Name have been deceived. As parents, cry out to Him for Wisdom and Discernment. He will supply it in abundance. He is the answer to whatever your question is in how to train your child up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ask Him to help you. Pray for your children everyday. Many times everyday. Ask the Lord to help you see who He Designed them to be, He knows them perfectly. Ask Him to help you touch their hearts and stir up in them a love of Truth that will stand against all the onslaughts of the enemy. Beg Him for Wisdom to teach your children that their own worst enemy is not the evil one, but it is their own sin nature. 


And ask Him to help you live a life worthy of your calling to parent. Sit before Him and allow Him to show you the areas in your life that are in conflict with His Will. We cannot do our very best to train our children when we are not walking in the center of His Will, dependent on His Wisdom. 


If all of this sounds a little overwhelming, start simply by praying everyday for Wisdom and Discernment. Ask Him to help you desire Truth in the innermost places. Then know that He WILL answer! He WILL move on your behalf!! He WILL show you how to be a better parent tomorrow than you have been today. Trust Him. For He IS Trustworthy. He will bless us as we seek to honor Him through the raising of these children. 

This was written as a guest post at Smooth Stones a few weeks ago. As our world is consumed in preparation for the Tabernacle Experience event coming to us, there is no time for writing, so I thought I would offer it here as a stand alone post. I hope your week is going well! :)

Raising Passionate Worshipers

I have big dreams for all these children. I want them, no matter what their vocations, to spend their lives in passionate pursuit of the Lord. 


I can spend all day everyday "telling" them they should believe certain things and act certain ways, and my words will make an impression. But all the words I can speak from now until they put these old bones in the ground cannot change the fact that my children learn as much or more from their exposure to my spirit as I can ever teach them through my words. 


Understanding this, how are we influencing our children in the area of worship?


Regardless of the style of worship where we attend church, what is our spirit teaching our children about how important worship is to us? 


Is the pew in a church building the only place they witness us in worship? 


Are the words to hymns or praise music we are being led to sing simply being parroted by hearts not fully engaged? 


Are the prayers we offer filled only with a list of requests? 


Is our spirit moved by an encounter with His Spirit in time dedicated to "corporate" worship with the Body of Christ? 


Do we really think about Who He Is? What He has done for us? 


Do our children see in our worship the posture of our hearts before Him? 


Does it even matter?


I am convinced it does. I believe it matters a great deal to our children. 


When our children witness us humbled and broken before Almighty God declaring to Him how very precious He is to us, how very desperately we need Him, how very thankful we are for everything He has done for us, how Holy and Worthy and Awesome He is, they learn to assume the same posture in their hearts. 


What a beautiful picture the Holy Spirit will paint in their young, impressionable spirits of their parents passionately worshiping Almighty God. 


Is our worship contagious? Yes, it is. For better or worse. 


Are we modeling for our children the kind of worshipers we long for them to become? 


If not, we must ask Him to help. He longs for us to seek Him. He longs for us to worship Him because it blesses Him and it blesses us. We were created for passionate Worship. How long has it been since we were moved to weeping as we declare our praise? 


What do our children see in us when we worship Him? It is what we want them to see? 


Do our children see us passionately worshiping He Who is Worthy of all praise?  


David, the one called "a man after God's own heart," knew about passionate worship. The Psalms are filled with page after page of his heart being poured out to Almighty God.

"As the deer pants for

streams of water,

so my soul pants for you,

O God.

Your love, O Lord, reaches

to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the 

skies.

Your righteousness is like

the mighty mountains,

your justice like the great deep.

I will extol the Lord at all

times;

his praise will always be 

on my lips.

My soul will boast in the

Lord;

let the afflicted hear and

rejoice.

Glorify the Lord with me;

let us exalt his name

together.

The Lord lives! Praise be to

my Rock!

Exalted be God my Savior!

I love you, O Lord, my 

strength.

The Lord is my rock, my

fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in

whom I take refuge.

I will sing to the Lord,

for he has been good to 

me.

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name

in all the earth!

I will praise you, O Lord,

with all my heart;

I will tell of all your

wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in 

you;

I will sing praise to your

name, O Most High."

When David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem:

"As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings . . .

 . . . When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, 'How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!'

David said to Michal, 'It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord's people Israel--I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes."

If our children see us enthusiastically cheering for a sports team, or singing along loudly with an old song we loved from our teen years, or cheering the virtuoso at a concert, shouldn't they see passion in our worship?

That doesn't mean you have to go dancing down the aisle Sunday morning. (Of course, if the Spirit moves you, go right ahead.) But we can each seek to be more engaged in worship and to intentionally take our worship outside the four walls of a church building. We can also choose to intentionally engage our children as we worship. Talk to them about what worship means and why we are called to participate as His children. Be willing to become "undignified" in passionate worship as David did and let your children watch. If this is completely foreign to your family, start by taking baby steps. Explain your motivation to them. Explain that you have asked Him to teach you to worship. Invite them to join you in the journey.

What a precious gift to give your children for them to learn to worship their Creator and Savior by watching you. 

"We Must Take Refuge From God In God"

"Since God's first concern for His universe is its moral health, that is, its holiness, whatever is contrary to this is necessarily under His eternal displeasure. To preserve His creation God must destroy whatever would destroy it. When He arises to put down iniquity and save the world from irreparable moral collapse, He is said to be angry. Every wrathful judgment in the history of the world has been a holy act of preservation. The holiness of God, the wrath of God, and the health of the creation are inseparably united. God's wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys. He hates iniquity as a mother hates the polio that takes the life of her child.


God is holy with an absolute holiness that knows no degrees, and this He cannot impart to His creatures. But there is a relative and contingent holiness which He shares with angels and seraphim in heaven and with redeemed men on earth as their preparation for heaven. This holiness God can and does impart to His children. He shares it with them by imputation and by impartation, and because He has made it available to them through the blood of the Lamb, He requires it of them. To Israel first and later to His Chruch God spoke, saying 'Be ye holy; for I am holy.' He did not say, 'Be ye holy as I am holy,' for that would be to demand of us absolute holiness, something that belongs to God alone. Before the uncreated fire of God's holiness angels veil their faces. Yea, the heavens are not clean, and the stars are not pure in His sight. No honest man can say 'I am holy,' but neither is any honest man willing to ignore the solemn words of the inspired writer, 'Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.'


Caught in this dilemma, what are we Christians to do? We must like Moses cover ourselves with faith and humility while we steal a quick look at the God whom no man can see and live. The broken and contrite heart He will not despise. We must hide our unholiness in the wounds of Christ as Moses hid himself in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God passed by. We must take refuge from God in God. Above all we must believe that God sees us perfect in His Son while He disciplines and chastens and purges us that we may be partakers of His holiness."

A. W. Tozer,  The Knowledge of the Holy

In His Strength: A Link Up in "Pages in Our Heritage of Faith"

Last year, the kids and I went to the Tabernacle Experience in a nearby town. It was such an incredible encounter with Him that we wanted to see if it would come here. 


All the doors opened, even a generous sponsor to pay for the entire event! They are coming to our church campus for 10 days, beginning on Rosh Hashanah, September 30th. We are excited!


But then there's the list of "To Do's" that have to be covered. EEEEEKKKK! We need 50 people who will agree to work two 4 hour shifts, plus set up and break down crews, plus this and that and this and that.


I, who constantly tell people, "He IS SUFFICIENT for what concerns you today," have needed to be reminded that HE IS SUFFICIENT for what concerns ME today! As the project manager, all of my organizational skills are not enough! Only He can be enough for this!


My sweet friend, who volunteered to handle the publicity side of the equation, and I have had a couple of meetings where we kind of just look at each other and sigh really big and shake our heads. Last Friday was one of those days where we were telling ourselves that it will somehow all work out, trying to convince each other that it actually will.


The specific issue that day was trying to get everything printed, and the PDF's weren't working and the clock was ticking. She was so very frustrated because it seemed no one could help her figure out the problem.


She called me a little while later to tell me what the Lord had done for us!


The company that prints our bulletins for Sunday mornings called her, not knowing what project she was working on, just returning her call. As she began to explain the specifics, the owner asked her if she could come to his store with all her "stuff" and let him see what it was she was trying to do.


When she arrived and he saw that it was for The Tabernacle Experience, he got SO excited! This man and his wife had gone to the event when it was in our area last year. He told my friend that it changed their lives! Then he offered to do our printing for free! He even offered to make us a large banner ($400) as another donation! 


So we went from not being able to get anything printed, to having it all donated! What had appeared to be a huge obstacle to us (an ornery PDF file) actually opened the door to a great blessing!


She called to tell me all about it and we both just sat there weeping over His incredible blessings!


Challenges continue to arise. 


But He continues to speak Peace and to send the dearest encouragement from the most unexpected places! 


In trying to get all the shifts covered, there was one name that appeared every single day on a shift. I thought it must be a mistake. This person has a job, after all. I don't really know the individual, but there was the name, again and again in the job that is the one most critical to the flow of the entire event, logistically speaking. 


So I shot off an email with all of the shifts in question listed to see how many of them I would have to remove. 


I received this response:


" . . . did I sign up for all those times?" (here it comes, I thought) "The answer is YES!!  I have a great boss, and when I volunteer I like to make a difference. The Lord has asked me to make this a great experience for all involved, and for those who attend. If you need my help in other areas and at any other times I am here to serve. . . Please let me know if I can help you, I am all yours for the week. Have a great evening."


Of course, I wept again.


Why do I EVER doubt His Provision? Why do I ever feel like I need to control any of it? Why do I ever feel the slightest hint of apprehension? The shift back to "my strength" can happen so quickly in my spirit. That's the only reason I would ever be tempted to fret or worry. I am NOT sufficient for the tasks to which He sets my hands. I CANNOT make anything good happen, as a wife, a mother, a homeschool teacher, or a project manager for The Tabernacle Experience. It is ALL and ONLY Him!


And so even this week as I broke a toe, I find Peace awaiting my spirit. 


Another of my precious, precious friends told me this morning that she was available to take something off my list because she has a "light week" ahead. His Perfect Provision.


A dear volunteer called last night and offered to canvas the city of Odessa for me with our posters and information packets today! His Perfect Provision.


Another page in my Heritage of Faith! 


Now it's your turn! I would love to read your testimony to His Faithfulness in your life, your family. Old or new doesn't matter, we aren't picky. Link up a post that tells of His Faithfulness. If you would like, you can grab the button in the right sidebar and add it to your post so others can join in the fun. Thank you ahead of time for giving Him Glory!

Book Review: Nicholas Nickleby

The story of Nicholas Nickleby can best be summed up by a line from the book of Job: "He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves." Our protagonist, Nicholas, provides the sharpest contrast imaginable to the antagonist of our tale, Nicholas' uncle, Ralph Nickleby.  


Suffering the recent loss of his father, Nicholas, along with his mother and sister sought the benevolence of Uncle Ralph, little knowing that this man had sold his soul, along with anything and anyone that fell into his clutches, in his never ending pursuit of wealth. 


Naive of his true character, this poor but worthy family found themselves inexorably entangled in Ralph's web of deceit and destruction. Seeking only to find a way to support his mother and sister, young, innocent Nicholas accepted a position "found" for him by his uncle at a boy's school in Yorkshire. As desperately as he hated leaving his mother and Kate, he believed this job would allow him to provide for their needs. When he arrived, however, he found that the "students" were actually prisoners of the wicked schoolmaster, Mr. Squeers. His charges, unbeknownst to their families, were barely given food enough to survive and were beaten regularly. 


Nicholas, hoping against hope that help would somehow arise, held out as long as he could, offering the boys there the only kindness they were shown. The situation became completely intolerable and Nicholas finally decided that, to save the life of Mr. Squeers' favorite victim, he had to intervene. As Mr. Squeers began again to beat the poor boy known as Smike, Nicholas stopped him and beat off the much larger Mr. Squeers. Nicholas and his rescued young charge escaped the school and made their way back, on foot, to London. 


Once there, he began to understand the true depth of his uncle's depravity and wicked schemes. The revelation to Nicholas that his uncle actually assisted with the "school" of Mr. Squeers and the dawning revelation that his "benevolence" in helping Nicholas receive the job was only an attempt by his uncle to remove the need for any financial outlay on his part in support of his sister-in-law and her children brought Nicholas to the point of becoming openly adversarial toward Ralph Nickleby. 


The rest of the tale involves a large number of characters and side stories, all of which weave an intricate picture of the far reaching effects of a man bent on the accumulation of wealth at any cost. Any cost at all. 


No matter what traps Ralph laid for his young nephew, the virtue and honor of Nicholas caused many of the poor wretches that had been for so long held under the thumb of his uncle to become forever devoted to the brave hero of the story. The very ones Ralph had used up to accomplish his evil plans for so many years were the ones who joined with Nicholas to bring about the ultimate downfall of the wicked man. 


I look forward to our four youngest reading this book. Its 800+ pages are filled with stark contrasts between good and evil, honor and guile, nobility and baseness. 


When I began this book on my Kindle (another free download), I had no idea how long it was. Had I known, I might not have started it when I did. I'm glad I didn't know. :)


#36 in the "Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge."