Redemption

"Redemption does not come so easily,

for no one can ever pay enough

to live forever

and never see the grave."

I remind myself that I'm truly not enough, and I will never be enough.  

Redemption from my sin was something I could never accomplish on my own.  

Thank You, Lord, for redemption - the redemption You gave, 

the redemption You paid for.

Thank You for the peace that comes from knowing that redemption is mine.

Dominique

~ A spring and a water crossing on a hike near our cabin.

~ The quote is Psalm 49:8-9, New Living Translation, and it bowled me over when I read it on Saturday morning.

The Framework of It

"In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus."  

(I've talked here and here and here about my other favorite morning quote.)  

Around here, mornings are only sometimes gorgeous sunrises and cuddly Blossoms.  Other times, they look more like rounding up ducks that mysteriously got out, discovering dog puke in the carpet and corralling hungry children kind of mornings.

No matter the day, my standard morning has this framework:

~ Make my bed.  It just makes me feel better and makes my room look cleaner.

~ Dress for the whole day.  I don't usually feel like getting dressed or putting on makeup, but that's the time I have to do it, so I do.

~ Drink delicious black tea.  I love lots of varieties, so whether it's Chai, English breakfast or Earl Grey, I have a hot cozy cuppa something in my mornings.  Sadly, Blossom4 likes to steal some of it once it has cooled off, so the phrase "good to the last drop," doesn't really apply to me.

~ Spend time with God - to read His Words, to pray, to listen, to think, to mull, to be still.

~ Journal.  I jot down thoughts, reflections, concerns, verses, events, feelings, desires, disappointments, sins, hopes, dreams, revelations, whatever comes to mind.  And, if I can think of nothing to write, I write at least one sentence that begins with, "Today I'm thankful for..." 

Dominique

PS - The ironic thing about this pic is that it's actually a sunset.  Never let the beautiful internet fool you.

If We Had Tea

If you stopped by and had tea with me today, I'd welcome you in.  I'd take your coat and draw you into the kitchen, amidst the deep-throated barks of Jake and Rory and the squeals and giggles of the Blossoms.  Most folks elect to settle around our kitchen island when we have tea together. 

Once our hands are hugging mugs of our favorite cuppa, the conversation meanders.  We chit-chat about your Thanksgiving and what your kids thought of the recent snow; we might even talk about yesterday. 

Yesterday was an exhausting day.  A million details and logistics were being juggled by the Chief Domestic Engineer of this place (me), since the last two weeks were very busy with no really break in the action. 

And the Blossoms have a million questions about every thing that's upcoming.  Because there were so many balls in the air and so many details to discuss and so many Blossoms asking me questions thirty times a day, I'm really make an effort to keep them in the loop at breakfast.  You could call it a morning meeting, I suppose.  It's a really simple step that helped this mama not be overwhelmed by questions, details and all the things I must handle and figure out.

Why is this important to me?  The girls can't contribute and help, unless they know details.  They are people, valuable people.  I never want them to feel that I'm too tired for them. 

I'm super thankful for mercy.  I had a couple stops to make yesterday and when I stopped at my favorite bargain Amish store, I used my last check.  This is only a big deal because there were butchered chickens to be picked up next at the Amish butcher. 

I was mortified when I realized that they did not accept cards and I truly had no way to pay to pick up my meat.  Since I've done business with the butcher on numerous occasions, he let me take my chickens and send the check in the mail.  For a busy mama, this small bit of mercy meant an awful lot.  When I receive these moments of mercy, they are concreted in my mind.  I am immensely grateful and, hopefully, graciously ready to extend them to others. 

Friend, in every day, busy or calm, we can drown in the details and the mistakes, or we can see the mercy and share it.  

Keeping

I want to be very present and very intentional as a parent.  I'm finding this to practically be many moment by moment decisions in a day.  My days, just like so many others', are full to the brim.

Being a stay at home mom is really about being mentally at home too.  

Keeping my brain on what's going on in our home, 

keeping my thoughts in tune to what's going on here, 

keeping my eyes really open to what the girls are doing and what I want them to be doing,

keeping my work, efforts and energy focused on the home and family first...

These are the little steps of being a mother and keeper of the home and doing it with excellence by grace.

Dominique

A Christmas Read-Aloud

Last year, in an attempt to find something festive for our lunchtime read-aloud, I stumbled upon Nancy and Plum, by Betty MacDonald.  We thoroughly enjoyed this story, to the point that Blossom3 keeps asking me to find the sequel online.  (There is no sequel, although Betty MacDonald wrote lots of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books.)

This year, with the first snow forcing piano lessons, Ladies Bible Study and the girls' Bible Quiz practice to be cancelled, we hunkered down for the kind of snow day that becomes a little epic in family lore.  Excitement was high at lunch time and as much as I'd intended to start another "regular" read-aloud, I couldn't resist the festive air about us.  I snuck away from the kitchen and googled "Christmas Read-Alouds."

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson caught my eye.  Thanks to Kindle, my book was in my hands in a matter of seconds and I sank into my chair with a favorite lumberjack plaid blanket tucked in around me.

We giggled over the first few chapters.  Then, after supper, when cleanup was lagging a bit, I cozied into my blanket and delved again into The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  This time, Daddy was joining us.

This book was one of those rare read-alouds that appeals to the whole family and has an excellent message too!

I caught Daddy laughing out loud.
The girlies were delighted.
Mama loved filling in the voices.

Christmas music played in the background.  Sleet pelted the windows after night fell on our snow covered micro farm.  The Blossoms filtered into the living room, absorbed in the story.

We finished it... Now what will we read for the rest of November and December?!?

That was supposed to be our Christmas read-aloud!

How can we possibly top this humorous, yet touching look at a family of tough kids hearing the Christmas story for the first time?!

If you have Christmas read-aloud suggestions, send them my way!

Dominique

A Few More Thoughts from the Book of Job

The mysterious book of Job scares a lot of folks, but let us remember that the same God who oversaw and inspired the writing of the Scriptures is the God that will help us understand those Scriptures.  

Let's settle into a quiet(ish) spot and dig in!

At one point, I found that Job rejoiced, 

"But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and He will stand on the Earth at last." 

Job 19:25

His faith had been revealed to him.  He was looking forward to the redemption that we sometimes find commonplace.  Job looked forward to that redemption so much that it dwarfed the major chaos going on in his life at the time.  

Peering at your salvation does that.  It's the surest way to bring perspective into our lives.  

Dwell on your salvation from eternal punishment and separation from God 

and suddenly, the little earthly details are so very small again.

Job knew what to celebrate - that His Redeemer lives!  

Is this what I celebrate today?  Is it truly?? Or do I celebrate obedient children, a compliment or a nice outfit?  When Jesus paid my debt of sin and satisfied God's justice, He gave me something to cherish and celebrate for all time.

Job knew that Jesus, the kinsman redeemer, did not forsake him when all others had.  

Oh, the peace that comes from knowing that Jesus does not forsake me!  It renders my spirit unshakable!

Friends, delve a little deeper into the Bible every day.  God is always faithful to teach us through it.

Dominique

Portfolio Progress

Today I wanted to share a little homeschool life hack that I can't take a bit of credit for.  My mom decided on this method after a stressful few hours of pulling portfolios together one year.  I've taken to using it here and it's working well for us.

I call it "Make-the-portfolio-as-you-go."

Yes, that's profound, I know, but I was thinking maybe I could be the nudge to help you get your portfolio started now.

Here in the Hollow, I have four white binders sitting center stage on the school room table.  They are the catchall for all the educational proof of what happens here every day.  

When the Blossoms finish a test and immediately after I grade it, I hole-punch it and drop it in the binder.  I have dividers marked with their major subjects and I file it in the appropriate subject.

When the Blossoms and I get home from a field trip, I grab the little touristy brochure, hole-punch it and drop it in the binder.  

When they get a score sheet from a 4-H judge, I pull it out of my purse at home,  hole-punch it and drop it in the binder.  

When they finish a history activity, it goes in the binder!

I even tell the bigger girls to hole-punch some of their own stuff and put it in their portfolio.  

Anything that tangibly shows any progress they make or something educational we've done, gets hole-punch and filed it in its most important resting place - the portfolio that my evaluator reviews when she interviews my children.  

I've noticed that it's pretty important that the binders are always only an arms-length away from where we work in the school room. They are perpetually out on this table; otherwise, procrastination tends to happen.  

Ain't nobody got time for procrastination.

At the end of the year, I print out their book list, daily log, grades and anything I think I forgot and add them to the portfolio.  

Portfolio done. Stress averted.  

Go get your binder today!  Trust me, your future self will thank you.

Dominique

#homeschoollifehack

#mamalifehack

Lavishing

"How great is the goodness

You have stored up

for those who fear You,

You lavish it on those

who come to You for protection,

blessing them before the watching world."  

Psalm 31:19 NLT

Looking Closer; Seeing Something New

Reading in the morning stillness, I stumbled across a verse I'd hadn't really noticed on my previous trips through the book of Job.  I've recently gained a fresh perspective in this oft-scary book. Much of that is due to me reading Job in the New Living Translation. 

Some folks like to bring up Job in theological arguments and some folks tip-toe around his story since nobody wants to be in his position. 

Sometimes we forget that Job was a real person going through a horrific time  He didn't have it all figured out.  Though he was confused about what was going on in his life, along with all the voices screaming their advice in his ear, he maintains his innocence.  He realized he couldn't and shouldn't argue with God.

This verse, this cry of Job's, arrested my attention and resonated in my spirit.

"If only there was a mediator between us,

someone who could bring us together."

Job 9:33, NLT

It's a recurring cry of the Old Testament, a collection of books that often highlights the need and the cry for the Messiah - the One who would be our perfect Mediator.

Again he calls out, 
"I need someone to mediate between God and me..." Job 16:20

It seems to me that Job is aware that something is up, that he's innocent and that this digression of his whole life is undeserved.  He wanted to plead his case before God, leading him to cry out for a mediator.  I believe this verse is pointing forward to Jesus and His role in the believer's life, leading me to believe that Job's situation is not as over-reaching as many think. 

Satan had accused Job and God allowed him to be thoroughly tested.  Even if God wanted to test us so thoroughly in this way, Job is teaching us that we now have a Mediator, making the situation a bit different than his.  We have a go-between.

People are sometimes afraid to believe God is really good, thinking they might be put in Job's situation at some point in their lives. 

God IS righteous and just; there is no question of that for me.  And surely there are trials in believers' lives.

These verses helped me see Job's situation in a different light.  With a Mediator in the mix, we have Christ's blood and righteousness covering us.  Christ, our Mediator, is standing between the accuser and Father God; He is even standing in our stead.

Here's a thought from the Matthew Henry Commentary:
We truly can't plead for ourselves, but we must put all of our hopes on having a Mediator and being accepted with God.

Seeing Job's heart-felt, heart-wrenching cry for a mediator made me wonder if I value my Mediator as Job would. 

The fresh gratitude for what Jesus has done for me is not something I anticipated finding in the book of Job and yet, there it is. 

Friend, if there's a book of the Bible that scares or intimidates you, I'd like to encourage you to give it another shot.  Pray, try a different, more modern translation, dig deeper and see what God opens up to you. 

Dominique

Pics are from the ever-changing kaleidoscope at the Arboretum.