Francesca the firefly

Lana is staying with us for two days. She loves coming here, not because she has a wonderful grandmother, but because of Arielle and Liana. Arielle watches over her and nurtures and comforts her, and Liana is her playmate.

I had the best grandmother in the world. She had no children to entertain me, but her home was a safe haven of peace in my turbulent childhood. And she loved me. It's a simple as that. That was all I really needed from her. In the big picture of a lifetime, my moments with her were brief, but my memories are precious. I've many times tried to conjure up all the images and feelings I remember before the years blur and fade them away.

I want Lana to remember me, Fred, Arielle and Liana this way. We see Lana way more often than I saw my grandmother, so Lana's life will be full of events and activities with us. What special moments will she collect to think back on when she's an old woman? I hope she will know she was loved.

When Lana first arrived yesterday, she and Liana played Polly Pockets for hours. The two of them are inseparable and it's hard to get them involved in anything besides their imaginative play. But late in the afternoon Fred suggested a walk in a park not far from here and everyone was agreeable. The girls were all very tired from the wedding the night before (more on that later) but they enjoyed deer watching. I'm sure Lana will always remember her Aunt Arielle carrying her piggyback when she was so weary she couldn't take another step.

After dinner and ice cream on the deck, the girls got jars for collecting fireflies. Even though it wasn't very dark, the girls easily caught several. Liana named her firefly Francesca and she searched the yard for a tidbit of flower and leaf that Francesca might enjoy. Lana was sidetracked by a robin eggshell she found in the yard and wanted me to preserve it for her to take home. When it was time to come inside for baths, the girls opened their jars and the fireflies gracefully ascended into the sky. These childhood moments are captured for such a short time. We can't hold on to them. Night inevitably falls and we release them, gone forever except in our memories. Good-bye, Francesa and all your friends.

A blessing

I wrote before about a teacher I had at church years ago. (Search blog: A living example). I greatly admired this woman because, simply, she lives her faith. Eventually she moved to a mission field in an Arab country where she has been for several years. She is home this summer teaching a 4-week class on spiritual warfare. I really didn't want to add something else to my schedule but I knew I would learn a lot from this wise woman.

Last week we spent two hours in the scriptures with L. supplementing our study with stories from her own experience. She teaches women in her country on the other side of the world, an intriguing and kind of frightening place (to me).

During a break, L. came over to my table and asked me if I remembered some character studies we had used in a previous class. Years ago I had written a series of studies on people from the Bible. They were in-depth analysis of the character's lives and how their life lessons apply to ours. I had forgotten all about them. These studies were used in the context of a curriculum called the Wise Women series that another woman at church was writing. L. told me she uses the character studies with the women she is teaching now. She said the women love them. What a blessing this was to me! To think that work I did so long ago was ministering to other women so far away. I think back on that time of serious Bible research and hours and hours of writing every week. It combined two of my loves, Bible study and writing. During that time this blog came about and my early posts reflects some of the lessons I learned then.

I am glad I went to the class. I knew I would get good teaching, but I also unexpectantly got a blessing. The week after L. had the class look at the book of Nehemiah as another lesson on spiritual warfare. On a personal level, I see it as a caution and an encouragement in homeschooling as we gear up for a new year. I decided to do a deeper study of this book and will probably write about it on my homeschooling blog. www.livingstoneshomeschool.blogspot.com

List for today

My son Jonathan is getting married Saturday. It has been a busy week preparing for the big event. One of my other sons, along with his fiancee, are coming Friday night to stay with us, so there is house cleaning and meals to think about. Liana is taking several science classes at the library, so we need to go there every day, plus there is the usual: prescriptions to pick up, family birthdays, laundry, cooking, the garden, the endless daily chores. So this morning during my quiet time, I was making a list of tasks to accomplish over the next few days. Then I read Ephesians 4. Here I found God's list. And it's not just a list for today, but for everyday:

Speak the truth
Don't let the sun go down on your anger
Do honest work with your hands
Share with others in need
Build up others and give grace with your words
Don't grieve the Holy Spirit
Get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, malice
Be kind to one another
Be tenderhearted
Forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you

It's a tall order. Maybe I can check off one today?

Glorious 4th, Part 2

"The earth has yielded its produce. God our God blesses us." Psalm 67:6.

Knee-high by the 4th of July? Our corn is doing a little better than that! Over the weekend we had quite a harvest of vegetables. Green beans and beets, cucumbers and romaine lettuce. The corn is just beginning to tassle. The rainy month of June was good for this garden. In the middle of all this lush greenery, my little cactus, quite the outsider in the Northeast, makes a bright showing this year.

The girls are relaxing in front of the TV after their 10-mile bike ride and I write this by hand on the deck so I can be outside with Fred while he's grilling. He pours us both a glass of blackberry wine and we are at peace at the close of this beautiful weekend. The birds are making a racket behind our hedges at the edge of the woods. A female jay watches me pour some sunflower seeds in the feeder and she waits for us to leave so she can enjoy them. The baby groundhog quadruplets are foraging in the grass. The sun drops early behind the trees making it seems later than it is. We love our little secluded refuge just beyond the bustle of the town.

Glorious 4th

Once more we celebrate the 4th of July.

The day was sunny, breezy, and cool! So unusual for this time of year. We decided to ride bikes on one of the many trails that follow the creeks and rivers in our area. We've waited for this day for a long time, a day when the girls became competent bike riders and won't endanger themselves or others while they are riding. The first part of the trail took us through a park filled with memories. In my mind I see my little boys and me making crafts on that table there and shooting arrows at targets near that grove of trees. We attended a Cub Scout day camp here many years ago. Who would have guessed then that my daughter would celebrate her Happy Adoption Day party here so far into the future. Arielle has an excellent memory and said to me as we rode by, "I was here with Jon!" That was what she remembered of that day, being here with her big brother who carried her in his arms to see some African dancers who were performing.

We cross the park, the path slicing through fields of tall orange and yellow wildflowers. Lots of people are here today but they are quiet and we hear little conversation. The only sounds are the birds and the whirring of bicycles as they zip by us. Occasionally small animals make crackly noises as they rustle in the brush. The waterway comes in and out of view. I'm having trouble keeping on the path because I am overwhelmed with the beauty of the scenery and I want to see it all. I almost fall off my bike when a tiny bright goldfinch flies right in front of me. We ride through a goose crossing and stop for a picture.

It's a strange feeling to be following a river instead of a road. We know approximately where we are but we try to reconcile these sights with the maps in our heads. We see glimpses of the river between the trees of the thick woods and I was amazed to see the confluence of our small creek with the much larger river.

My hot pink boardwalk cruiser serves me well. I've written before about this bike so perfect it's like it was built just for me. No handbreaks, no speeds, it's big and wide and sturdy and its flashy pink color certainly stands out in a crowd. Some wise guy on the trail smirked, "Nice bike" as he rode by. But I don't care. I feel like I could ride forever on my bike and never get tired.

This was so much fun we decide to do it all again the next day! This time we ride about ten miles into a national park. We had to travel through hot sun parallel to the highway for a short piece but it was well worth it when we entered the shady forest, cool and dark, where the trees interlace their branches across the path making a canopy for us to pass under. The girls ride well and I am delighted we've found the perfect family outing.

In the evening of the 4th, a good friend and her daughters come over for dinner and later we go the the local park to see the fireworks. It seems the whole town is there, blankets spread out across the grassy fields. My friend bought the girls glow sticks that they make into necklaces and halos while we wait for darkness to descend. Before it comes, God provides a spectacular sunset, orange and blue stripes that melt to fiery red. No man-made sky show can top that. I forgot to bring my camera!

A band plays music from the 70's, the musicians in pastel suits with their synchronized moves bring back memories. My friend and I are tempted to get up and do a little disco but the girls were horrified enough that we would even sing along with the music, much less dance. The band concludes with the Star-Spangled Banner and we all rise and sing out into the night.

The fireworks are the same as always, colorful bursts of fire that built to a finale that lights up the heavens. But the sameness is what makes this night special. Once more, we are together with friends. Once more my neck hurts from looking up and once more a small daughter is nestled in my lap. Once more we walk back down the dark path to find our cars with hundreds of our neighbors right alongside of us, parents holding tight to little hands. I'm thankful for all the "once mores." I'm thankful for this glorious weekend.

Racial radar

I totally support our church children's camp, but I sort of got off on the wrong foot the first morning. A friend of mine was in charge of the snack each day and she gathered us helpers, three other women and me, to tell us her plan for setting up the food and coordinating each camper group that would be arriving. She needed to do something to settle the kids down before they ate. She said she would start with a song, and she suggested, "Jesus Loves the Little Children."

I immediately said, "I don't like that song." Everyone turned to me, incredulous. "Why not?!" The song has a great message. Jesus surely does love all the children of the world and they are truly precious in his sight. But I answered, "Because children are not red and yellow, black and white."

One woman said, "My husband said that song is not politically correct." Politically? I don't care about that. I think the words to the song are racially insensitive. My beautiful daughters are certainly not "yellow" and my Cherokee family members are not "red" by any stretch of the imagination. All the people of the world are lovely shades of brown! Without a word my friend went in to meet the campers and sang a different song.

Having children of a different race has opened my eyes to our culture's biases and stereotypes. My radar zeroes in on them. What do you think? Am I being too sensitive?

Long week

The past week the girls and I have been at the preschool camp at our church. Arielle was a junior counselor, Liana was in the camp for the children of the workers, my granddaughter Lana attended the camp, and I served snacks to about 150 kids each day. We've been involved with this camp for years and years. I've taken my older two grandchildren, and my girls have gone since they were tiny. I was a counselor for many years but being a snack lady suits me just fine now.

This camp is the ultimate VBS. There is not single kid in the universe who wouldn't like it. It's well-supervised--one adult and junior helper to five children. This little group travels around during the morning from one activity to another, indoors and out. The children go to crafts, games, music, nature, snacks and then...best of all, they see the skit Granny Bear and her crew have concocted. Granny Bear is an older woman who has served in the children's ministry for many years at our church. She's the best. Each summer for two weeks (there are two weeks of this camp) she dons a bear costume, recruits other "bear" actors, and writes a skit that is appealing to small children and hilarious even to adults. Her well-written storylines also teach great Biblical truths.

Anyway, since we left home early each morning, I had no time for writing and no time for my quiet time and Bible reading that gets me off to a good start each day. On top of that, I had the after effects of some virus I had last weekend. (No, I wasn't contagious.) So I was totally wiped out every day when we got home. I look forward to getting back into the routine next week.

QUESTION! I plan to continue the dares with my husband and with my daughters. But unless someone tells me they are following along, I will not write them in here anymore. So please let me know! Do you want me to post the dares??

Kids and conflict

As I wrote out the dare for marriages, I kept thinking of my two daughters. They have conflict, as all siblings do. But how do they fight? Do they fight fair? Isn't their relationship the training ground for marriage? The guidelines I set and enforce (or don't set) when they are quarreling might set the stage later in life for how they get along with their husbands and whether they can sustain a marriage.

From my older boys I've learned how much name-calling hurts. Those names stick with a child throughout life. Even with one of my girls, when she tells me the other called her a name, she says it with tears. Name-calling is devastating. I do not allow it, but it can go on in a sneaky way even if we don't hear it. As moms, do we allow our children to shout at each other? Do we allow them to say hurtful words like "I hate you"? Do they bring up issues that happened two years ago? Do we judge fairly when we're put in the middle of the conflict? There are times we need to let them settle things on their own, but also times when a parent needs to step in.

My girls are not allowed to hit or touch each other in any physical way when fighting. This was never a problem for Arielle. She is a very gentle child and was horrified the first time another child struck her. And she did not retaliate. I don't think it is in her nature. But Liana was different. At a year old she was a fighter and still needs to be reminded not to strike out in that way. It is a terrible thing when marriage partners resort to physically hurting each other.

Failure should not be an option for siblings. I remind my girls continually that friends come and go, but your sister is your friend forever. Siblings are the longest lasting of human relationships. When I hear of adults who can't get along with their siblings, it is very sad. Sometimes I think I only get along well with my siblings because they are out-of-state. I wonder how it would be if I saw them on a regular basis. My four sons are each so different. One of them said to me once, "If he wasn't my brother, I wouldn't be friends with him." But they are brothers and they are friends. They've become closer the older they get. I so much want that for my girls.

It's a great joy when our children love and respect each other. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity." Psalm 133:1.

Dare 13

Dare 13: Love fights fair. Like it or not, conflict in marriage is simply inevitable. The forced closeness of marriage strips away your public facades, exposing your private problems and secret habits. Welcome to fallen humanity. Every couple goes through it. It's par for the course. But not every couple survives it. This dare is about dealing with confict in such a way that you come out healthier on the other side. Both of you. Together.

The deepest, most heartbreaking damage you'll ever do (or ever have done) to your marriage will most likely occur in the thick of conflict. That's because this is when your pride is strongest. Your anger is hottest. You're the most selfish and judgmental. Your words contain the most venom. You make the worst decisions.

But love steps in and changes things. Love reminds you that your marriage is too valuable to allow it to self-destruct, and that your love for your husband is more important than whatever you're fighting about. Married couples who learn to work through conflict tend to be closer, more trusting, more intimate, and enjoy a much deeper connection afterwards. But how? The wisest way is to learn to fight clean by establishing healthy rules of engagement. If you don't have guidelines for how you'll approach hot topics, you won't stay in bounds when the action heats up.

Rules you and your husband might agree on beforehand:

1. We will never mention divorce.
2. We will not bring up old, unrelated items from the past.
3. We will never fight in public or in front of our children.
4. We will call a time-out if conflict escalates to a damaging level.
5. We will never touch one another in a harmful way.
6. We will never go to bed angry with one another.
7. Failure is not an option. Whatever it takes, we will work this out.

(One Fred and I have: we will not call each other names.)

Rules you might set for yourself:

1. I will listen first before speaking.
2. I will deal with my own issues up front and consider how I might be wrong.
3. I will speak gently and keep my voice down.

(One I have: I will not jump to conclusions before I know the facts.)

Fighting fair means changing your weapons. Disagreeing with dignity. It should result in building a bridge instead of burning one down. Remember, love is not a fight, but it is always worth fighting for.

The Dare: Talk with your husband about establishing healthy rules of engagement. If he is not rady for this, then write out your own personal rules to "fight" by. Resolve to abide by them when the next disagreement occurs.

Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. James 1:19.

What unspoken rules do you have?

Dare 12

Dare 12: Love lets the other win. If you were asked to name areas where you and your husband disagree, you'd likely be able to do it without thinking very hard. And sadly, unless someone at your house starts doing some giving in, these same issues are going to keep popping up. Defending your rights and opinions is a foundational part of your nature and make-up. It's detrimental, though, inside a marriage relationship, and it steals away time and productivity. It can also cause great frustration for both of you. Granted, being stubborn is not always bad. Some things are worth standing up for and protecting. Our priorities, morals, and obedience to God should be guarded with great effort. But too often we debate over piddling things. Other times, the stakes are much higher.

Though these issues may not crop up every day, they keep resurfacing and don't really go away. You never seem to get any closer to resolution or compromise. The heels just keep digging in. There's only one way to get beyond stalemates like these, and that's by finding a word that's the opposite of stubbornness. That word is willing. It's an attitude and spirit of cooperation that should permeate our conversations. And the one best example of it is Jesus Christ.

As God, He had every right to refuse becoming a man but yielded and did--because He was willing. He had the right to be served by all mankind but came to serve instead. He had the right to live in peace and safety but willingly laid down His life for our sins. He was even willing to endure the grueling torture of the cross. He loved, He cooperated, and was willing to do His Father's will instead of His own. "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5. The attitude of willingness, flexibility, and humble submission. It means laying down for the good of others what you have the right to claim for yourself.

The very moment one of you says, "I'm willing to go your way on this one," the argument will be over. And though the follow-through may cost you some pride and discomfort, you have made a loving, lasting investment in your marriage. That's not to say your husband is necessarily right or being wise about a matter, but you are choosing to give strong consideration to his preference as a way of valuing him.

The Dare: Demonstrate love by willingly choosing to give in to an area of disagreement between you and your husband. Tell him you are putting his preference first.

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4.

A little girl's dream

"I want to be a teacher when I grow up." That's all I ever remember saying about my future goals when I was a child. I loved learning and thought everyone else did too. My little brothers and sister were my students and I would give them "work" to do, although they were not always enthusiastic about doing it.

In college I was distracted pursuing other interests and gave up my dream. Then came children (three), and then financial difficulties that led me to nursing school. My dad always told me I was useless and would never amount to anything, so it was "Here's to you, Dad!" as I graduated at the top of my class. And I felt very useful when I worked at the hospital. But another baby came along and I left nursing to be just a mom at home. My years with my little boys on the windy plains of Oklahoma were among the best of my life.

Later the need to support myself again brought me back to school. A difficult marriage made me once again feel useless and stupid. I went to chiropractic school and graduated at the top of my class. "Here's to all of you negative voices from my past!" The boys were older now and I became Miss Career Woman. I admire women who have careers, but for me, I felt I was just pretending, and I wasn't entirely comfortable in that role. Then tiny Chinese faces from the other side of the world tore at my heart.

Never was my desire so great or my focus more intense than when I worked to bring my girls home. This was my true calling--to be a mother to my children. Nothing else ever fulfilled or satisfied. When I was a little girl and wanted to be a teacher, I never thought I would be teaching a class of two. That might not seem like much, but it is enough. I have all I ever wanted, and I have nothing else to prove.

My dream is not yours. So what is yours? Are you living it? Fulfill your calling whatever it may be at this time in your life. God never gives us the whole picture--a panoramic view of our entire lives. We have just enough light to illuminate the next step. So take that step and then you'll see the one after it.

So is this the end for me? I've finally found my place in the world and we all live happily ever after? I'll never presume that. I might be driven back into the workforce again someday. But for now, in this season of my life, I'm right where God wants me. It's the only place to find peace.

I hope I can one day pray as Jesus did, "I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do." John 17:4.

Dare 11

Dare 11: Love cherishes. Marriage is a beautiful mystery created by God, joining two lives together as one. This not only happens physically but spiritually and emotionally. When your spouse goes through a tragedy, both of you feel it. When you find success at your job, both of you rejoice. But somewhere along the way, you experience disappointment, and the sobering reality that you married an imperfect person sets in. This, however, does not change the fact that your husband is still a part of you. You must treat him with the same nurture and care that you treat yourself. When you show love to your husband, you are showing love to yourself.

When you mistreat your husband, you are also mistreating yourself. Your lives are interwoven together. Your husband cannot experience joy or pain, blessing or cursing, without it also affecting you. So when you attack your husband, it is like attacking your own body.

Your husband needs to be loved and cherished. If he has issues causing pain and frustration, then you should care for these with the same love and tenderness you would a bodily injury. If he is wounded in some way, you should think of yourself as an instrument that helps bring healing to his life.

Don't let the culture around you determine the worth of your marriage. To compare it with something that can be discarded or replaced is to dishonor God's purpose for it. When you look at your husband, you're looking at a part of you. So treat him well. Speak highly of him. Nourish and cherish the love of your life.

The Dare: What need does your husband have that you could meet today? Can you run an errand? Give a back rub or foot massage? Is there a chore you could help with? Choose a gesture that says, "I cherish you." And do it with a smile.

A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery..." Ephesians 5:31.

Dare 10

Dare 10: Love is unconditional. If someone were to ask you, "Why do you love your husband?"--what would you say? Women would probably say something about their husband's good looks or personality. They'd commend him for his steadiness and consistent character. They'd say they love him because he's always there for them. He's generous. He's helpful.

But what if over the course of years, your husband stopping being every one of those things. Would you still love him? The only logical response would be no. If your reasons for loving your husband all have something to do with his qualities--and then those same qualities suddenly or gradually disappear--your basis for love is over.

The only way love can last a lifetime is if it's unconditional. The truth is this: love is not determined by the one being loved but rather by the one choosing to love. This is God's kind of love. He doesn't love us because we are lovable but because He is so loving. If He insisted that we prove ourselves worthy of His love, we would fail miserably. But God's love is a choice. Unconditional love will not be swayed by time or circumstance.

The Dare: Do something out of the ordinary today for your husband--something that proves that your love is based on choice and nothing else. Do a chore for him or make his favorite dessert. Demonstrate love to him for the sheer joy of being his partner in marriage.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. I Corinthians 13:7.

Envious of Fred?

The Dares have given me lots to think about. I admit I have been envious of Fred at times--his charisma with people mostly. I think back on cooking for the Alpha course at church. We worked in the kitchen with some difficult people. I would usually just keep to myself and ignore them. Not Fred. He made the effort to talk and joke with them, listen to their tales. He accepted their quirks and helped them with their tasks. They, in turn, loved him. He was greeted with enthusiasm each week when we arrived. Me, they ignored.

People always like Fred more than me. When he was a chiropractor, his patients adored him. He had the busiest practice in town. They mourned his retirement. But really, Fred and I are not competitors. I am thankful he's the way he is and I'm glad he's my husband!

As for greetings, Fred and I excel at this. We have long established habits of good-byes in the morning and hellos when one of us returns home. I walk downstairs with him to send him off, and I'm available to go back and retrieve items he's forgotten to bring along. I wave at the window as he pulls out of the driveway. Corny and silly? Maybe. But it sets a good tone for the day.

During the day Fred continually calls me every chance he gets. When he's leaving one point to drive to another. When he's coming home. He asks if I need anything on the way. We always say good-bye with an "I love you." When he gets home, I make the effort to give a cheerful hello and a hug or kiss.

No matter what has transpired in our relationship during the day, we are civil to each other before the lights go out. If an apology is due, we give it. It doesn't mean every issue is resolved, maybe it's only a temporary cease-fire. But after a night's sleep, we will see things differently in the morning.

In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26.

Dare 9

Dare 9: Love makes good impressions. You can tell a lot about the state of a couple's relationship from the way they greet one another. You can see it in their expression and countenance, as well as how they speak to each other. It is even more obvious by their physical contact. But how much importance should you give a greeting?

Jesus noted in his Sermon on the Mount that even pagans speak kindly to people they like. That's easy for anyone to do. But he took it a step further and said that being godly included being humble and gracious enough to address even your enemies with kindness. This raises an interesting question. How do you greet your friends, coworkers, and neighbors? How about acquaintances and those you meet in public? You may even encounter someone you don't necessarily like yet still acknowledge them out of courtesy. So if you're this nice and polite to other people, doesn't your husband deserve the same? Times ten?

It's probably something you don't think about very often--the first thing you say to him when you wake up in the morning, the look on your face when you get in the car, the energy in your voice when you speak on the telephone. But here's something else you probably don't stop to consider--the difference it would make in your husband's day if everything about you expressed the fact that you were really, really glad to see him.

The Dare: Think of a specific way you'd like to greet your husband today. Do it with a smile and with enthusiasm. Then determine to change your greeting to reflect your love for him.

Greet one another with a kiss of love. I Peter 5:14.

Jealousy

My girls are having trouble with the dares because they fight all the time. It's very difficult for them to go a whole day and not say anything negative to each other. "You're a baby!" That statement alone can provoke tears and desire for retaliation.

Sibling rivalry at its core is pure jealousy. A first child is doted upon and has her parents' undivided attention. They only have eyes for her! Every word she speaks is profound and mom and dad praise her continually. Then sister #2 comes along. Parents tell the first child, "We love you so much we wanted to share that love with another child!" Huh?? What if your husband said the same to you? "I love you so much I want to bring another woman home so we can share the love around."

From the beginning I knew there would be trouble with my two girls. We received the long awaited picture of our new second daughter from China. Oh, the excitement! We made calls to everyone we knew. We scanned the photo and sent it out across the country via e-mail. We stared at the tiny image, admiring the adorable, plump baby who would soon be ours. Oh, the joy!

Three-year-old Arielle watched all this, momentarily out of the spotlight. "Your new sister!" we exclaimed. Who needs a sister? her expression told us. Then later, that object of our adoration disappeared! The picture was missing! The only tangible evidence of our new daughter was gone. We tore the house apart thinking we had misplaced it, knowing we would not have done that. We couldn't find it anywhere. Arielle! We kindly asked her if she "put it away" for us. Then, "Did you take it?" we demanded. No matter how much we cajoled her she did not respond. How could a little child fool us like this? Where could she have hidden the picture so that we could not find it?

Several days later the picture appeared. We never did know where Arielle had hidden it. But we know she did. Later on she would hide Liana's toys, toys maybe Arielle thought Liana didn't deserve, or maybe a toy Arielle herself wanted.

So going back to the discussion of legitimate vs. illegitimate jealousy, you would have to say Arielle's jealousy was legitimate. She thought the two people who loved her the most, who belonged to her, had turned their love to someone else. Her very own parents wanted another child. You can understand how she felt. Usually second (or third or fourth) children will not feel this extreme jealousy because they were never their parents' sole focus.

So how do we resolve this? When does a legitimate jealousy evolve into selfishness and quarreling? When is it time to "flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace? And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone...not resentful." (II Timothy 2:23-24) We spend the rest of our lives assuring our children we love them equally but maybe because of personality or life experiences, some kids never lose jealous feelings. They need to. It will affect their future relationships with others.

We have the 4-H Fashion Revue coming up in a couple of weeks. For the first time, Liana, as well as Arielle, will model and be judged on an outfit they sewed. Ribbons are awarded and winners go on to compete in the regional show. They are not competing against each other, as they are in different age groups. But still, I anticipate hurt feelings.

I asked Arielle, "How will you feel if Liana wins and you don't?" She said, "I won't care. I won two years in a row."

I asked Liana, "How will you feel if Arielle wins and you don't?" She said, "I won't care. I just had fun making my outfit."

Life will be easier if no one wins. But if one of them does, will the other be mature enough, and does she love the other enough, to offer sincere congratulations to her sister? We'll see.

What were your experiences growing up with siblings? How do you handle sibling rivalry with your kids?

The power of words

To be honest, I didn't like the dare when we were supposed to make a list of our husband's negative traits. I think when you put thoughts into words, it gives them power. I even told this to my table group at church. They said, don't worry, you tear it up the next day. Even so, I didn't like this. It caused me to focus on the negative. And the negative was something that can't be changed anyway, so what was the point?

Scripture is clear about thoughts turning to words turning to actions. "Take every thought captive..." because that's where trouble starts. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Next, you act on your words. Now think about that sequence in a positive light--you dwell on your husband's good qualities, you tell him how you feel, how proud you are of him, how glad you are that he is the man he is. You praise him for the good things he does. Then you naturally will want to do nice things for him to show your appreciation. This can only make your marriage better.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Philippians 4:8.

Dare 8

Dare 8: Love is not jealous. Jealousy is one of the strongest drives known to man. There are actually two forms: a legitimate jealousy based upon love, and an illegitimate jealousy based upon envy. Legitimate jealousy sparks when someone you love, who belongs to you, turns his or her heart away and replaces you with someone else.

Illegitimate jealousy is in opposition to love--it is rooted in selfishness. This is to be jealous of someone, to be moved with envy. It is sparked when someone else upstages you and gets something you want. This can be very painful, depending upon how selfish you are. Instead of congratulating them, you fume in anger. If you're not careful, jealousy slithers like a viper into your heart and strikes your motivations and relationships. It can poison you from living the life of love God intended.

When you get married, you were given the role of becoming your spouse's biggest cheerleader. But if selfishness rules, any good thing happening to only one of you can be a catalyst for envy rather than congratulations.

It is time to let love, humility, and gratefulness destroy any jealousy that springs up in your heart. It's time to let your husband's successes draw you closer together and give you greater opportunities to show genuine love.

The Dare: Determine to become your husband's biggest fan and to reject any thoughts of jealousy. To help you set your heart on your husband and focus on his achievements, take your list of negative attributes and tear it in tiny pieces. Then share with your husband how glad you are about a success he recently enjoyed.

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice...What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. James 3:16, 4:1,2.

America's tower of Babel

“Having absorbed the world’s values, Christianity in our society is now dying. Subtly but surely worldliness and self-indulgence are eating away the heart of the church. The gospel we proclaim is so convoluted that it offers believing in Christ as nothing more than a means to contentment and prosperity. The offense of the cross has been systematically removed so that the message might be made more acceptable to unbelievers. The church somehow got the idea it could declare peace with the enemies of God.”- John MacArthur

I found this picture and quote on our pastor's blog. The message on Sunday was from Genesis 11, not a favorite passage for most people. "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves..." Gen. 11:4. He summed up what the tower meant--human pride, over-reaching, and self-deification.

We should never make a truce with the enemies of God: worldliness, self-indulgence, love of possessions and money, and a quest for a life of ease and comfort. Jesus said, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:26.

Margins

What's not to love about this guy here? Fred brought in the fruits (vegetables) of his labor from our beautiful garden. These are the best radishes ever! Tender and crisp, not woody, not too hot.

This was a crazy week and my mind was not much on the Love Dares. I am re-focusing. Oh, how I need to add margins to my schedule! I overreact and get angry when I'm rushed or pressured with too much to do. It's good to figure out when and why we get angry. I procrastinate. Then, of course, I'm in a hurry to complete some task or I worry I will be late to the place I need to be. I also overreact when I think I "deserve" something that I didn't get. Usually that means time to myself.

On Memorial Day, with little planning beforehand, we decided to take the train into the city. My son and his fiancee were here for the weekend and the weather was too nice to stay inside all day. It was a fun, relaxing day. We were far enough away not to be on call for anyone, andwe took the train to eliminate the stress of traffic. The day became a field trip for the girls as we visited historical sites and then met up with good friends who live in the city. We all had lunch in Chinatown. Dim sum in a big, busy restaurant filled with mostly locals provided a lot of laughs as we sometimes didn't know exactly what we were eating. I'm a little rusty with the chopsticks when it comes to Chinese broccoli. Try grabbing those slippery greens, holding them with the chopsticks, and biting off a piece before it all falls back down on your plate.

Everyone wanted bubble tea and if you don't know what that is, you've got to try it! Kind of like a smoothie with black tapioca balls in the bottom of your glass. We walked and walked until we were that good kind of tired, a welcome fatigue. Tired of body but not of mind. We rode home in peace and mostly silence, everyone thinking back over the conversations and sights of the city.

I think there is good reason God gave us a Sabbath day. He knew we needed margin in our life. He knew we couldn't just keep going on and on without rest. Why don't we have days like this more often?

Dare 7

Dare 7: Love believes the best. In the deep and private corridors of your heart, there is a room. It's called the Appreciation Room. It's where your thoughts go when you encounter positive and encouraging things about your spouse. And every so often, you enjoy visiting this special place. On the walls are written kind words and phrases describing the good attributes of your husband.

Down another darker corridor of your heart lies the Depreciation Room, and unfortunately, you visit there as well. On its walls are written the things that bother and irritate you about your spouse. These things were placed there out of frustration, hurt feelings, and the disappointment of unmet expectations. This room is lined with the weaknesses and failures of your husband...It's where ammunition is kept for the next big fight and bitterness is allowed to spread like a disease. People fall out of love here.

You may say, "But these things are true!" Yes, but so are the things in the Appreciation Room. Everyone fails and has areas that need growth. Everyone has unresolved issues, hurts, and personal baggage. This is a sad aspect of being human.

Love chooses to believe the best about people. It gives them the benefit of the doubt. It refuses to fill in the unknown with negative assumptions...You must develop the habit of reining in your negative thoughts and focusing on the positive attributes of your husband...It is a decision that you make, whether they deserve it or not.

The Dare: Get two sheets of paper. On the first, write out positive things about your husband. Then do the same with negative things on the second sheet. Place both sheets in a secret place for another day. Pick a positive attribute from the first list and thank your husband today for having this characteristic.

Love believes all things, hopes all things. I Corinthians 13:7

Dare 6

Dare 6: Love is not irritable. Love is hard to offend and quick to forgive. How easily do you get irritated and offended? When something goes wrong, some people quickly take full advantage of it by expressing how hurt or frustrated they are. But this is the opposite reaction to love. A loving husband will remain calm and patient, showing mercy and restraining his temper. A loving wife is not overly sensitive or cranky but exercises emotional self-control.

Why do people become irritable? There are at least two key reasons that contribute to it:

1. Stress. Stress weighs you down, drains your energy, weakens your health, and invites you to be cranky. It can be brought on by relational causes--arguing, division, and bitterness. There are excessive causes--overworking, overplaying, and overspending. And there are deficiencies--not getting enough rest, nutrition, or exercise. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. This means you must balance, prioritize, and pace yourself...You need time to recharge, refocus, and add breathing room or margin to your weekly schedule.

2. Selfishness. When you're irritable, the heart of the problem is primarily a problem of the heart... Being easily angered is an indicator that a hidden area of selfishness or insecurity is present. Selfishness also wears many other masks. Lust is the result of being ungrateful for what you have and choosing to covet or burn with passion for something that is forbidden. Or, bitterness takes root when you respond in a judgmental way and refuse to work out your anger. A bitter person's unresolved anger leaks out when she is provoked. Or, greed for more money and possessions will frustrate you with unfulfilled desires. Pride leads you to act harshly in order to protect your ego and reputation.

These motivations can never be satisfied. But when love enters your heart, it calms you down and inspires you to quit focusing on yourself. It loosens your grasp and helps you let go of unnecessary things.

The Dare: Choose today to react to tough circumstances in your marriage in loving ways instead of with irritation. Begin by making a list of areas where you need to add margin to your schedule. Then list any wrong motivations that you need to release from your life. If you overreacted, what was your real motivation behind it?

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. Proverbs 16:32.

Problem with Dare 5

I told Fred to tell me three things I do that irritate him. He looked at me as if I was crazy. He's thinking I must want to start a fight! Then he said, "First tell me something I do." No, I'm not going there. I say this isn't about him, just that if I am doing something that irritates him, I want to stop. He goes outside to work in the garden while he thinks about it. I come outside and ask him but he says, "I'm not going to tell you now!"

Inside he still says nothing. I ask if he's thought about it. He says yes. He can only think of one thing. He says I too often let things interrupt the girls' schooling. People ask me to do things and I can't say no. So I agree to try not to let that happen anymore. I'm sure he is thinking of other things, but he won't say! This is because from past experience he knows I am so defensive. I had decided not to say a word, no matter what he told me. But it was a little scary thinking about what he might say. I give him credit. If something was on his mind, he decided it was not worth telling me about. He extended grace to me and he is allowing me to be flawed and is not trying to correct me.

Anyone else? Did this dare bother you?

Progress with the girls

Arielle and Liana are enjoying these dares! Maybe the trip to Walmart motivated them. I promised them a small, daily treat upon completion of each dare, a little bigger prize for 10 completed and a big prize at the end. So they are having fun with this. While some may think they are missing the purpose of this, I think it is great they are practicing kindness. Hopefully it will become a habit. They love each other but seem to have lost the ability to show it. I'm helping them find their way.

On Dare 2, Arielle made Liana's bed. Later in the day, Liana sneaked into Arielle's room and straightened up. These little tasks done by the other delighted them. For Dare 3 I did not ask them to buy something to give, but rather to give something they already had. I said it had to be thoughtful, something the other person would truly like. Liana gave Arielle half her Kit Kat bar and Arielle gave Liana a handful of polished stones. They both were happy.

Dare 4 required them to ask the other one how they were doing and did they need anything. They both politely asked. No problem with this one. I've had to remind them several times about the negative comments they make to each other though. They immediately stop their bickering! Oh, those Walmart prizes are calling to them!

There has been an unexpected consequence to all this: the girls have been more helpful to me! Maybe they just like the pleasant feelings that come when family members are cooperating and being kind to each other. They have actually done some things without being told. They have taken initiative! I guess that's what this project is all about--taking initiative to show love.

Dare 5

Dare 5: Love is not rude. Nothing irritates others as quickly as being rude. Rudeness is unnecessarily saying or doing things that are unpleasant for another person to be around. To be rude is to be unbecoming, embarrassing or irritating. In marriage this could be a foul mouth, poor table manners, or a habit of making sarcastic quips. No one enjoys being around a rude person.

Good manners express to your husband, "I value you enough to exercise some self-control around you. I want to be a person who's a pleasure to be with." When you allow love to change your behavior--even in the smallest ways--you restore an atmosphere of honor to your relationship. People who practice good etiquette tend to raise the respect level of the environment around them.

Here are three guiding principles when it comes to practicing etiquette in your marriage:
1. Guard the Golden Rule. Treat your husband the same way you want to be treated.
2. No double standards. Be as considerate to your spouse as you are to strangers and friends.
3. Honor requests. Consider what your husband or wife already asked you to do or not do.

The Dare: Ask your spouse to tell you three (or one or two) things that cause him to be uncomfortable or irritated with you. You must do so without attacking him or justifying your behavior. This is from his perspective only.

"Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." Proverbs 25:24.

A caution from me: When you ask this question you risk getting your feelings hurt or getting angry. Your husband won't be honest if he anticipates a fight. Or he might take advantage of the situation and give you a long list! Prepare yourself! Tell him you want to know behavior that irritates him that you can actually change, that would better your relationship. Then when he tells you, say nothing! Ponder and consider. The temptation would be to retaliate and say, "Well, you do this and that..." Or you might strongly desire to defend yourself and say he's wrong. But this is how he perceives it. So don't fuel a fight.

Friends who are doing these dares with children: My girls are making progress! Children don't have the entrenched behavior patterns that we do. We have had a pleasant week and Arielle and Liana are trying hard. I'll write more about that later.

Dare 4

Dare 4: Love is Thoughtful. When you first fell in love, being thoughtful came quite naturally. You spent hours deaming of what your loved one looked like, wondering what he was doing, rehearsing impressive things to say, then enjoying sweet memories of the time you spent together. You honestly confessed, "I can't stop thinking about you."

But for most couples, things begin to change after marriage...You drift into focusing on your job, your friends, your problems, your personal desires, yourself. After a while, you unintentionally begin to ignore the needs of your mate...If you don't learn to be thoughtful, you end up regretting missed opportunities to demonstrate love. Thoughtlessness is a silent enemy to a loving relationship.

A husband should listen to his wife and learn to be considerate of her unspoken messages. A wife should learn to communicate truthfully and not say one thing while meaning another. But too often you become angry and frustrated...The thoughtful nature of love teaches you to engage your mind before engaging your lips. Love thinks before speaking. It filters words through a grid of truth and kindness.

The Dare: Contact your spouse sometime during the business of the day. Have no agenda other than asking how he is doing and if there is anything you could do for him.

"How precious are your thoughts to me... How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand." Psalm 139:17, 18.

A gift to show love

Buy a gift for Fred that says I'm thinking of him? That one stumped me initially. Fred is not one for "stuff." I couldn't just walk around the mall and pick something up. Then I remembered he said something earlier about the new Walmart commercial advertising steaks. So I thought I would make a special trip out to get some. He would be surprised because I hate to shop at Walmart. Well, I never could find those steaks so I had to look for something else.

I thought of bakery goods but he is cutting back on fat in his diet. Then I found angel food cake! He loves that. I bought some of his favorite cereal and some coffee ice cream. I found some eucalyptus bath salts he likes and best of all, a big chunk of corned beef! I think he will know I am thinking of him.

He said tonight, "When's your next class? I said tomorrow. Jokingly he added, "You keep going to that class! I like this new wife!"

What did you buy your husband to fulfill Dare 3?

Dare 3

Day 3: Love is not selfish. We live in a world enamored with "self." If there were ever a word that basically means the opposite of love, it is selfishness. Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves. Yet you cannot point out the many ways your spouse is selfish without admitting that you can be selfish too. Why do we have such low standards for ourselves but high expectations for our mate?

When a husband puts his interests, desires, and priorities in front of his wife, that's a sign of selfishness. When a wife constantly complains about the time and energy she spends meeting the needs of her husband, that's a sign of selfishness. Choosing to love your mate will cause you to say "no" to what you want so you can say "yes" to what they need.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I truly want what's best for my husband?
• Do I want him to feel loved by me?
• Does he believe I have his best interests in mind?
• Does he see me as looking out for myself first?

The Dare: Whatever you put your time, energy, and money into will become more important to you. It's hard to care for something you are not investing in. Along with restraining from negative comments, buy your spouse something that says, "I was thinking of you today."

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourself." Phillipians 2:3.

Gifts today

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." I John 4:7.

I love when the iris bloom! They are extravagant in their colors and shape and bring me joy. I had another unexpected gift today. I was at the kitchen window talking with Fred on the phone when an Eastern Bluebird landed on our deck railing! I have never in my life seen one. Supposedly these birds were numerous in our area long ago but are now rare. I never hoped to see one! This bird was a female. I hope she has a nest nearby. We watched for her the rest of the day but didn't see her again.

I thought Arielle did pretty well with the first dare. But when I kissed her good-night she asked me to clarify what "negative words" are. She decided she had not fulfilled the task and will try again tomorrow. I am proud of her because she wants to be honest about it.

Love among siblings

Revelation: The love principles apply to all human relationships, not just between husband and wife. My girls were arguing and yelling at each other this morning, as usual. This behavior has been escalating and is simply not acceptable. So I presented the Love Dares to them. Before I could even explain the idea, they both said, "No! No!"

But we discussed the plan and I motivated them with daily rewards (as yet undetermined) for completion of the day's dare. Does that defeat the purpose of the plan? I don't think so. Not with kids. They need to get into good habits of responding to each other. They need to learn self-control when they are tempted to lash out. They need to learn to demonstrate love. Wouldn't these skills help them later in life with their own marriages? And maybe, just maybe, these two sisters will actually begin to love each other genuinely after they've practiced choosing to react to each other in a kind way.

So I gave them the first challenge not to say anything negative to each other for a whole day. I have my doubts. But with God, nothing is impossible!

So what about you? Have you done the first two dares? Are you ready for Dare #3? Hint: you may have to go out shopping today.

Kindness to Fred

Day 2 was fairly easy for me because Fred and I were separated all day. He had real estate business and I was home with the girls. So I didn't have to worry about saying anything negative. But I kept thinking of what act of kindness I could do for him. The book said to do something "unexpected." I did make him a nice dinner, a huge hunk of beef and his favorite macaroni salad. But that is pretty much expected. It was getting late and then I knew what to do. And I resisted!

I love ending the day by reading. I have little time to read during the day and so I read novels at night. Not that there is much time to read at night either, but I do read fast. So while I was taking a shower and anticipating my book, I realized I couldn't cheat and call making dinner my act of kindness. Fred would enjoy a massage. But I am so tired, I argued. But it would be very kind to do! So I made the choice to give my time to him. He was in shock when I asked if he wanted a massage, but eagerly offered his back!

Okay, girls, share what you have done these past couple of days! (Being sensitive, of course. One rule we have in class is, don't say anything you couldn't say if your husband was sitting right next to you.) If you'd like to brag on your guy, share the 5 characteristics you admire most about him!

Dare 2

Dare 2: Love is Kind. "Kindness is love in action. If patience is how love reacts in order to minimize a negative circumstance, kindness is how love acts to maximize a positive circumstance. Patience avoids a problem; kindness creates a blessing. One is preventative, the other proactive. Let's break kindness down into four basic core ingredients: 1) Gentleness. When you're operating from kindness, you're careful how you treat your spouse, never being unnecessarily harsh...You speak the truth in love." 2) Helpfulness. Being kind means you meet the needs of the moment. If it's housework, you get busy. A listening ear? You give it. 3) Willingness. Kindness inspires you to be agreeable. Instead of being obstinate, reluctant, or stubborn, you cooperate, you stay flexible." 4) Initiative. Kindness thinks ahead, then takes the first step. It doesn't sit around waiting to be prompted or coerced before getting off the couch. The kind husband or wife will be the one who greets first, smiles first, serves first, and forgives first."

The Dare: In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness."

The scripture for today: "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32.

Resources for Fireproof study

I added more detail to the first dare since some people want to follow along. So check it out. I also want to show you where you can get the Love Dare journal for yourself. You can also see a short clip of the movie and order it too. I have single friends and I want to let you know this journey is for you too. Use the Love Dares on your children or maybe someone in your family who is difficult to love. The principles will work for anyone. In our class at church we call this your "focus person." It doesn't have to be a husband.

Also, ladies! Please write your focus person's name on a card and write 5 characteristics you admire in that person. Keep the card where you can see it several times a day.

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=448856&event=HPF1

I checked off Day 1 in my journal! I went through a whole day without saying anything negative to my husband. It was hard. Last night we went to a wedding in an unfamiliar part of town. Fred has a new GPS and he wasn't used to it and he was distracted. His erratic driving (in my view) is a source of contention in our marriage. After several close calls on the road, Arielle spoke up from the back, "That makes four, Daddy!" She needs to have more respect for her father. But where does her attitude come from? Me, of course.

Instead of criticizing in a negative way as I usually would, I chose to express concern and understanding. CHOSE. That's important. We choose to respond in a certain way. Because I was thinking instead of overreacting, I realized how Fred drives all day long, back and forth to school and then all over town showing property to clients. His mind is weary. I did chant a silent mantra to myself, "I will say nothing negative...I will say nothing negative." We both joked a little about it and that lightened the mood. But I need to be cautious not to let joking carry over into sarcasm.

Fireproof: Dare 1

I signed up for a women's study at church called "Fireproof Your Marriage." It is a three week course to watch the movie Fireproof and then have table discussion. We also have homework--The Love Dare journal. From the book--"...love is a decision and not just a feeling. It is selfless, sacrificial, and transformational. And when love is truly demonstrated as it was intended, your relationship is more likely to change for the better." Each day we read about one aspect of love and then are challenged to a dare to do for our husbands. The class started Wednesday.

When we arrived we had to write our husband's name on an index card and list five characteristics that we admire in him. We keep this card in front of us during discussions to remind us of his good qualities when we might be tempted to complain about him. I wrote these things about Fred: hard-working, affectionate, decisive, generous, and friendly to others. As soon as I wrote these down, I had my first revelation. These five things I AM NOT! I do not have Fred's attributes. He is my opposite, my complement. How amazing.

The movie is great! If you have not seen it, plan a date night with your husband and watch together. Tissues were tossed back and forth among the women at my table. We told why we came to this class. One woman seems to have some difficulties in her marriage. A few had seen the movie, enjoyed it, and wanted to talk about it. I really didn't want to come. I want to finish school with my girls and not be interrupted with going out in the middle of the week. But I think Fred is worth the effort and I don't want to be complacent about my marriage. We could all use a tune-up.

I was excited to have my quiet time today and begin reading the journal. Day 1: Love is Patient. "When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation. You are slow to anger..." The Dare: The first part of this dare is fairly simple. Although love is communicated in a number of ways, our words often reflect the condition of our heart. For the next day, resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all. If the temptation arises, choose not to say anything. It's better to hold your tongue than to say something you'll regret."

Scripture for this day: "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with on another in love." Ephesians 4:2.

That shouldn't be too hard, I thought. Fred had just left for his classes and I thought back over our brief exchange so far this morning. No, I hadn't said anything negative. Off to a good start! He called me from school later, said he would go to the fruit market on the way home. A big burden off my schedule today. When he got home I hugged him and thanked him. I'm doing great with this "dare."

The girls and I were finishing up school. Fred had gone outside and I heard him start the tiller. We had just bought some seedlings, so I thought he was preparing the soil for them. It was a very windy day with a storm coming. Large branches had already fallen from the trees, thudding in the grass. When school ended, I went outside to talk to Fred. He had planted most of the fragile plants. He did a great job, except the wind threatened to rip them from the ground! I said the first thing that came to mind, "Fred, are you crazy? Why are you planting them now?" I know I hurt him. He had little cages around the tomatoes and peppers and eggplants. The fine soil was mounded up on each stem. He had worked so hard. I suggested we cover the cages with something to protect the tiny plants. He brought out some black cloth he had used to stop weeds last year and silently we cut it up and taped it around the cages and made little tents.

I failed the first day. In an attempt to be inclusive of many readers (I guess), this Love Dare journal neglected to warn us that any attempt to transform our lives in our own strength will be futile. Tomorrow I will pray that the Holy Spirit will do a work in my life and help me to be patient with my husband.

Anyone up for the challenge? I will post the dare for the day in bold print as I get to it.

Miracle in our midst

Mother's Day.

Years ago I got the middle-of-the-night call no mother wants to get. "This is the hospital. Your son was in a car accident." For that split second before the voice added, "but he's okay," terror struck me. After I hung up the phone and hastily dressed, I sobbed with relief.

A few nights ago my sister got that call. Only her terror lasted longer. "Your daughter was in a car wreck. She's alive, but that's all I can tell you." My sister didn't know any details until she arrived at the hospital.

It was a rainy night, and it had been raining for days. The road was slick, the shoulder muddy. My 17-year-old niece lost control of the car on a mountain curve, went over a steep embankment, flipped several times and crashed into a ravine. If not for a small tree that slowed the car, she would have landed in the swollen river. She kicked her way out and climbed up the bank where two college students were looking for her. They had observed headlights ahead of them on the road that suddenly disappeared into the black night. My niece was transported to the hospital but doctors only found minor bruises. The trooper on the scene said he had never seen someone survive such a crash.

I listened to my mother tell the story, first with horror, then with thanksgiving. I said good-bye to her and got down on my knees to thank our mighty God who saved my niece from death, who saved our family from unspeakable sorrow. Then I wrote this, so you too would be reminded to praise God for miracles in your midst. And maybe give your child an extra hug. It's a happy Mother's Day indeed tonight.

Flu

An interesting quote about media coverage of the swine flu from Mark Galli, senior managing editor of Christianity Today: "The media would not be tempted to overhype the swine flu if it didn't believe people were genuinely worried about it. But it's hard to understand why the swine flu elicited such fear. Even when we are told that flu viruses kill some 36,000 Americans annually, and that the swine flu has yet to kill five—well, it doesn't seem to calm us.
That may be because the "normal" flu tends to kill only infants and the elderly, while the swine flu can kill perfectly healthy people in the middle of life—people like us! While we pride ourselves on our compassion for the defenseless (i.e., infants and the elderly), this hints at another contradiction: We can live comfortably with the fact that viruses kill tens of thousands annually—as long as the victims are infants and elderly. We only panic when we hear that people like us are threatened, even if only a few dozen of us."

What do you think?

First planting and first harvest

The past week was unusually hot for April--in the 90's. The warm weather makes us want to get out and plant the garden. I had to hold my husband back and remind him that Mother's Day is the official planting time for our state, when all danger of frost is over. Some vegetables can be planted early though, so Fred got out the small tiller and stirred up a small area in our big plot of ground for our salad garden. He's already tilled twice with the big tiller, adding in fertilizer and mulch. Arielle said, "I can't wait to get my hands in the dirt!" The girls helped to plant the spinach, lettuce, onions, and radishes--in their swimsuits. Fred promised them he would spray them with the hose after we finished.

I noticed the rhubarb was ripe and ready, so we cut several stalks for everyone's favorite-- Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. The girls wore the huge leaves for hats and then used them for flamenco dancing (in their swimsuits) before tossing them in the compost heap behind our house. I know, the leaves are poisonous. But no one was eating them. Friends, anyone want some rhubarb? Come on over!

We have been planting our garden for 12 years now. Fred has expanded it, fenced it, then re-fenced it to keep out a variety of critters. We rotate the crops and we replenish the soil. We've had to re-plant several times after flooding and a few times we've slopped through the mud after a thunderstorm and helped the baby plants to stand back up. But our garden rarely disappoints. We never use pesticides or herbicides and we have never had any attack of insects or disease. Why is this?

It's a healthy garden. The sun shines hot and strong on it most of the day. We usually get enough rain to keep it hydrated. We weed and thin to prevent over-crowding. A multitude of birds and bats eat up the pesty insects. We give the garden lots of attention and watch for problems. Maybe this is good advice for humans too. Good nutrition, sunshine, fluids. Keep out what hinders good health--poor diet, inactivity, stress. Stay away from crowds. And then let God do the rest. He provided our bodies with good immune systems to keep the pesky bugs out. If they do happen to get in, they are quickly destroyed.

Food

I've long battled food. You would never know it as I've always been thin. But weight isn't necessarily an indicator of food issues. I am not alone. I've had many, many conversations with other women about food. I've already discussed my decision to cut down on sugar, and I have. I read years ago that if you crave sugar, you're depressed. If you crave salt, you're angry. Well, I guess I'm both. Though I'm not sure there is really any truth to that. Bottom line: I eat more than I need to eat.

In nursing school, and later chiropractic school, I studied nutrition. I know the basics of a healthy diet and I've since followed all the latest breaking news from the scientists, much of it conflicting. I had every good intention of saving my daughters from the typical American diet, but my grand ideas were quickly sabotaged by my fat/sugar loving husband. So while I could discipline myself to only buy good food, he brings temptation into the house. The girls still eat fairly well though, lots of fruit and vegetables, along with pasta and rice. They eat very little meat, as they don't like it. Maybe genetics has determined that.

I think food can destroy good health, and also it can be medicine. When I was sick with my lung ailment years ago, Fred would bring me fresh strawberries every day. I ate huge quantities of strawberries and I believe they were a part of my healing. I have celiac disease, so wheat is toxic to me. We know diet is very important. If we have children, we owe them our very best effort to give them the right food so they can grow properly. But where does being a good steward of the body God gave us clash with being obsessed with food? No doubt as a culture we spend way too much time thinking about food. (I know I've spent way too much time preparing food!)

I read a fascinating article by Mark Galli in Christianity Today. He discused the numerous studies always being conducted on food and food's impact on health. In particular, we're always warned of the horrors of red meat. He comments, "Now every time I sit down to a polish sausage or hamburger, I will not be able to count it as joy. The steak sitting gloriously before me will not signal a gift from God but a tempation of the Health Devil and the Grim Reaper."

And there's the point: we can't enjoy the food God has provided for us because food brings guilt! We can't be thankful for it. How can you thank God when you are giving in to "temptation"? Galli goes on to say, "The bottom line is that food of all sorts--but especially food that we have traditionally enjoyed the most, the lusty foods dripping with sweetness and fat--is now seen as a threat. A threat to what? Well, longevity. Most of these studies are about discovering the relationship of a food or nutrient to death...the goal of the scientific health community seems to be to flag foods that cut life short, because, as we all know, the idea is to live as long as possible."

Is this Biblical? How liberating this thought is to me! Can we leave the length of our days to God and stop obsessing about every bite of food? Let's end the guilt and be grateful to God for the nourishment and yes, the pleasure food gives. Can you tell me where the scriptures say our goal is to live as long as possible? That the pursuit of the fountain of youth should be our goal? Galli says, "This fixation on food's relationship to death is but another sign of our culture's deep fear of death." As Christians, what do we really believe?

I think I'll ENJOY a dish of Breyer's strawberry ice cream right now while I plan tomorrow's lessons for my girls, my very healthy girls, raised on the bounty of our organic vegetable garden but allowed the occasional treats their father takes joy in giving them. Scripture tells us "all things in moderation." (Oh, if we would just do that!) We press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The goal is not longevity and food is not our god.

Mark Galli sums up his article with these wise words: "The point of our sojourn on this planet is not to live long but to live well."

Cooking for Alpha

Fred and I have cooked the dinners for all the Alpha attendees for as long as Alpha has been offered to the community at our church. It's been three years now, two sessions each year. For those who don't know, Alpha is an international, inter-denominational, 10-week program designed to explore the Christian faith over a meal, friendly conversation in small groups, and a short video presentation. It is supported by most all Christian churches. At our church alone, hundreds of people have attended, many of them new to the faith or questioning what it's all about.

We have had our struggles in the kitchen. In the beginning, we couldn't find anyone to help us cook for the 40-70 people who attend each week, except for one woman who makes the dessert. But now, Fred and I easily do most of the work alone. We've had many frustrating encounters with the Awana cooking crew, with which we share the kitchen on the same night. But now, Fred and I have made peace with them, and they have reluctantly accepted the fact that we have a right to the kitchen too. We've had complaints about the menu, but that doesn't bother us anymore. It is what it is. Fred and I often used to be short with each other after we got home at night, both of us exhausted after standing for 4 hours staight without a break. But now we're stronger and tougher.

People ask us, why do we continue to do this? First of all, we believe each person should give back to their home church. We receive so much from our church, so we need to contribute what we can of our time, treasure and talent. We don't have much treasure to tithe, so it's our time we give. Maybe talent too--I have been cooking for a big family since I was a young woman, so that experience is being put to good use.

Second, we want to be part of God's work in this world. Many people ask, "How can I find out what God's will is for my life?" I heard an answer to that question that made sense. "Find out what God is doing and join in." A friend first told me about Alpha years ago. She had attended the program at her church and she said it changed her whole life for the better. Then one year at the end of one of our Alpha sessions, several people gave testimonies on how it had helped them. Fred and I are glad to be a small part of that.

Also, every now and then we get positive feedback and it warms our hearts and makes us want to continue. In this last session especially, several people have let us know how much they enjoy the food and tell us they appreciate us cooking their dinner each week. Tomorrow another 10-week course ends. Each time, Fred and I re-evaluate. Will we continue? And if we don't, who will do it? It is very hard to get anyone to volunteer for this job.

On Good Friday I attended a service with a friend at another church. Some words spoken by a woman there stuck with me these last few days. On the night before Jesus died, he washed his disciples' feet. This was a job no one else wanted to do. Then Jesus said, "Go and do likewise." Sometimes we are looking for a big, important, glorious ministry in the church. But maybe we just need to do the job no one else wants to do. We need to be a servant in the house of our God.
Last month we were asked to assist at a special event. People involved in Alpha programs from churches all across the metropolitan area were invited to come to an information-sharing night at our church. Also, pastors and priests from churches that do not currently have the Alpha program were invited to find out about it. There were over 100 people there, all gathered in our gym for music, a meal, and fellowship. We had many helpers from many churches. In the kitchen with us were women from two local Catholic churches and also an elderly couple from the Presbyterian church across the street from our house. I stood at the stove and cooked all the chicken cutlets and let others hustle around setting up and preparing the other food. It was great to have help! And I was privileged to see the diverse, colorful groups walk in. Members of black and Asian churches from the inner city, Catholic priests, Methodists, and Baptists poured through our doors.

A couple of guys from our church played guitars and led the group in praise songs. Everyone stood and lifted their voices in worship! How pleased God must have been to see a fulfillment of Jesus' prayer to his father in John 17, "that they may be one as we are one." We celebrated our common belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and at least for one night, we forgot all about our differences.

Journey stories

I was asked to speak at the annual women's conference at our church. Several people would be sharing their individual life journeys and the attendees would be encouraged to begin writing their own stories. The event would serve as a mini-writing workshop. We all have stories to tell and our lives are so different. I was asked to talk about our decision to adopt our children from China.

My initial response was to say no to the request. I do not like speaking in front of a group, especially a crowd as large as this one would be. It is stressful and uncomfortable for me. I had little time to prepare. There were plenty of reasons why I couldn't do it. Then the thought came to me that maybe I had something important to share, something that would be beneficial to others. Maybe a child somewhere would have a home because I told of my wonderful daughters and how they have blessed my life. Maybe someone struggling with defeat would be encouraged by my story of God's forgiveness. My adoption story is really a story of forgiveness--too long to tell here now. Bottom line--God was nudging me to speak, and in reluctant obedience I said I would participate.

What an incredible morning it was! I realized how much I missed the women of my church. Since I began homeschooling, I let go of a lot of church activities that used to be so important to my life. I spent much time through the years with so many of the women who were here this day. Many were close at one time and I was so glad to see them and catch up on our lives.

Each of the very different speakers gave testimony to God's hand on her life as each traveled a very different journey. An older woman spoke first. She was one of the founding members of our church, a girl from Kentucky who, with her husband, began one of the largest churches in this suburban area. I was second to speak. Maybe I will have the courage to post my story here someday. It was hard to tell that morning and it would be hard to tell here. In summary, my story is about a woman who loved Jesus but decided at one point to pursue her own interests and rebel against God's ways. It is the story of my way back and how God forgave me when I didn't deserve it and then abundantly blessed me with these two precious daughters.

Next, to my amazement, was my "angel" K.! Yes, the same woman who shared her wisdom with me on Christmas Eve. She spoke first about her difficulties with family members afflicted with mental illness. She said she heard a sermon once and the pastor quoted Philippians 1:21: "For to me, to live is "____." He invited people to fill in the blank. K. said, "For to me, to live is suffering." Later she realized that throughout her life she had been such a joyful person, and that God had given her a gift of joy from childhood. She saw she had lost that joy and with God's help, reclaimed it. Later she could honestly say, "For to me, to live is Christ." She then told about her diagnosis of stage 3 ovarian cancer a year ago. Through her testimony, we saw that even now she has not lost that joy. She told her story with great humor and no sign of self-pity. She ended her story with the next line of the scripture, "For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain."

The next speaker unexpectedly lost her husband last year. She honestly told of the excruciating pain she's endured. She revealed how God has ministered to her through the Word that keeps coming to her mind. All the scriptures she's memorized throughout her lifetime now comfort her. God continually reassures her of his presence and that keeps her going forward each day.

Jesus said, "In me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." I've told some sad tales lately on this blog and I need to remember these words myself. God will sustain us through whatever life brings. He's given us his Word to comfort us by promising he will always be with us. His Word is living! He has also given us the sisterhood of other women to console and affirm and encourage each other. When we are strong, we uphold others who have lost their strength. We weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

What would your journey story be?

Into the darkness

I have many stories to tell of God's goodness and our hope and joy through him in this world. But somehow the darkness overshadows that goodness right now and my life is caught up in the grief of others. This time it is another friend of mine. I cannot tell of the details because there will be a trial coming up and I would not want the information to get into the wrong hands.

To support my friend, I offered to go to juvenile court with her yesterday. From 9am to 2pm, a small waiting room was filled with people--all with the same court time of 9am. What a system we have. What suffering in that room. Families broken and parents waging war over custody. Two scruffy young boys doing their best to wait patiently, their lives in the hands of a judge who hasn't had time to preview the case and has to make a snap decision on the information he has. A teenage girl in some sort of trouble writes furiously in a diary the whole time we wait. Her life in the hands of an overworked, very young caseworker.

I saw evil in the eyes of fathers. Fathers who have not been fathers, but have selfishly pursued their own pleasures and in the meantime have destroyed their children's lives. Children who have been neglected and mistreated. Children who act out their rage with crimes against the society that produced them. This room, this place, is a culmination of our sick and perverted culture. This was one day in one county in this country, reproduced thousands of time across our nation on any given day. Lord, have mercy.

Sushi in the car

On Sunday Liana had a playdate with a friend who lives on the other side of church. Arielle and I didn't want to drive all the way home and then go back out again. So we had three hours to spend together. All week we were thinking about what we would do with the time, but we had no definite plans.

First we went to a fabric store and I picked out a couple more colors to add to my quilt. Arielle wanted to look at the new Webkinz in the gift shop. She almost bought one but it is hard for her to spend her own money. (She likes spending mine though!) We also had to to to Trader Joe's for bread and we walked around there for a little while, sampling the free coffee and soup. By now it was lunch time. I had intended to take Arielle out to eat somewhere. We have so little time alone together. Then she noticed the sushi in Trader Joe's refrigerated case. Could we get some? I reminded her we would have to eat it in the car. No restaurant would allow us to come in and eat our own food. She was fine with that. So many choices for sushi! California rolls, vegetable rolls, chicken, shiitake, crab. Finally we each chose one and then found a couple of 49 cent bottles of water. At the checkout the clerk asked if we wanted chopsticks to go with our meal. Helpful man!

Arielle got in the front seat of the car (special treat) and we ate our sushi with the chopsticks. We've never tasted better nor had so much fun eating it. As we talked, I got a glimpse of the lovely young woman Arielle is growing to be and the easy companionship of mother and daughter that I hope will characterize at our future years together.

Laughing, with our teeth full of spinach and sesame seeds, we headed for Barnes and Noble and promised not to smile if we saw anyone we knew.