Thanksgiving Like a Levite

When I was a little girl, I saw the movie Pollyanna. Positive and joyful, the orphan Pollyanna helped others see the bright side of life. She called her outlook the “Glad Game.” When she fell and became paralyzed, she was thankful she had legs.

While Pollyanna is just a nice story, sometimes our powers of positive thinking are left by the wayside. We forget that there’s always a reflected rainbow and a reason not to be grouchy. As women in ministry, the tasks don’t just seem unending. They are! The mountain doesn’t just seem too high. It is! People don’t just seem hard. Their culture and the adversary have hardened them. We can see the hardships so clearly—and God at work dimly.

In this Thanksgiving month, I’m frankly at a loss to explain the “Glad Game” to you.

• A fellow missionary lady, one of my dearest friends, has passed away.
• Another beloved friend has died.
• Some things in our church ministry on the field are going badly. Many of our people have serious needs.
• Our parents are getting old.
• We are asking God for clear direction. 

At the same time, we’re surrounded by blessings:

• Health
• The beauty of the Basque region in the fall—and some clear days without rain.
• Phone calls and Skyping with our kids, grandkids, and parents
• Looking back over many years of God’s guidance and provision
• The opportunity for a quick trip to the States and seeing family, and the blessing of being in a missions conference—our first in many years
• Good friends

 . . . I could go on and on!

There’s every reason to be Pollyanna glad, but sometimes, though I'm truly thankful, I don’t feel very happy.

What can be done?

How can I turn November into a month of praise, even if circumstances on the field don’t change? How can I better perceive what God is doing and focus less on my own sorrows and struggles?

Praise God like a Levite!

When the Lord organized Old Testament worship, He gave the Levites several jobs: And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel: And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise (1 Chronicles 16:34-35). Four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith . . . And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even (1 Chronicles 23:5b, 30). Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped (2 Chronicles 29:30). The Levites were told to use the praises they found from David and Asaph. Where are they? In the Psalms!

Let’s see how the Levites praised God, and while we’re at it, let’s praise God in this same biblical way: 

• I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high (Psalm 7:17).
• Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power (Psalm 21:13).
• The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him (Psalm 28:7).
• And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long (Psalm 35:28).
• In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word (Psalm 56:10).
• Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee (Psalm 63:3).
• Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy (Psalm 99:3).
• Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever (Psalm 106:1).
• For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD (Psalm 117:2).
• I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation (Psalm 118:21).
• Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes (Psalm 119:164, 171).
• I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well (Psalm 139:14).

The next time you feel overwhelmed—quite possibly today and now—make it your daily job to do praise like a Levite! Use the Psalms as a guide for thanksgiving. Get your focus onto God’s goodness and sufficiency and on His working in the hearts of man.

Every day will I bless thee;

and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

(Psalm 145:2)

Furlough Fitness Part 7 (Kristine's Talents, Conquering Plateaus, Favorites)

Kristine's Talents

Eating Balut with Dr. Godfrey

My progress in October was definitely more spiritual than physical. We spent most of the month at my mother-in-law's home, and that included a steady diet of carb-heavy, fried, sodium-drenched Asian food and daily eating out with family. Even though I exercised six times a week, skipped rice and noodles, and even went to bed hungry a couple of nights, I still gained five pounds. It discouraged me to gain weight while working so hard to lose those pounds. The Lord directed my thoughts to the story of the talents in Matthew 25.  I have never considered that parable to be about weight loss, but here are some truths I gleaned from this important passage:


1) Everyone has different abilities (talents.)

2) I may work harder that someone else, but have less desirable results because my original talents are not the same (Ahem, my husband only gained two pounds without putting forth the same hard work.)

Kristine and her husband, Phil

3) Jesus still expects me to work hard and do my best even if I do not have the physical results I'd hoped for. The truth is, the change in my character over being obedient and taking proper care of my body is more important than whether or not I lose weight.

If I am obeying the Holy Spirit's guidance on my self control with eating and exercise, then I need to be content with the results. Proverbs 14:23 states "In all labour there is profit." It may not be the profit that I desire, but it is the profit that God is awarding to me. In the end, I may need to take the stronger character over the larger weight loss, trusting God will honor faithfulness and see my heart.

Keeping priorities in order, family and ministry over weight loss

On furlough, I have not always had my ideal food environment, but I have needed to accept that whatever is provided has come from God's hand. He only expects me to be faithful with self control and make the healthiest choices on my part. All I long for is to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Conquering the Plateau

Inevitably, it happens. Everything is going great. The weight is coming off slowly but surely. And then...

The dreaded plateau.

Plateau: noun

a period or state of little or no growth or decline.

Yes, I hit a plateau back in August. No matter what I did, the scale wouldn't budge!  

After three weeks of a complete standstill, I had to take action. First I had to figure out what was holding me back!

I started logging my food intake into the MyFitnessPal for the first time. Wow, did I learn a thing or two! Some of the things that I thought I was eating in proper portions was actually way too much! I realized also that a few things I was eating were not quite as healthy as I thought.

I have never been much of a calorie counter or tracker, but I realized it was a vital part of the equation of my fitness goals. With the MyFitnessPal app, calorie counting was a breeze. I also realized that journaling what I was eating helped me be more aware of what I was consuming.

Next, I started researching my exercise routine. That's what the problem was. I had a routine. My body was pretty smart and had adjusted to my routine. It was time to change things up. It was time to push harder. So I learned to vary my workouts and change things up throughout the week.

Increased exercise + decreased calorie consumption = weight loss plateau conquered!

A Few of My Favorite Things...

One of my favorite products is Ole High Fiber Wraps. 16 grams of carbs, but 11 of those carbs are fiber. That means the net carbs is only 5 grams! I use these to make wraps, soft tacos, pizzas, and more.

One of my favorite breakfasts... 

Southwest Omelet!

I make it in this omelet pan for microwave.

2 eggs

tsp skim milk

diced onions

salt and pepper to taste

2 minutes in the microwave

Top with salsa and jalapenos

Around 175 calories!

Update

Three months ago, I entered a weight loss competition. That's pretty ambitious for someone on furlough! (Remember, it's pretty much assumed that missionaries on furlough will gain 20 pounds or more!) I knew the competition would motivate me. It did! I am excited to announce that the competition is finally completed, and I took third place!

Leaving the Nest: That last year at home

I want to begin this series backing up a little and talking about that last year of twelfth grade while your MK is still at home with you on your field of service. Why?
I think it is important that we share the emotions involved with an MK leaving the field that has become home to attend college in their native country which they understand very little about.

Let's start by talking about the Mom's side of things:

Homeschooling your child all of their lives makes preparing for college a little intimidating. When your child is in sixth or seventh grade and you are dragging them through Math class wondering how we would ever be able to teach them through Algebra II, you can't imagine graduation day ever coming. Your child moves on to 10th Grade and you are now crying together over other subjects like Biology and that Algebra II that you were dreading, or subjects that you have fallen behind in because of the timing of furloughs. You hopefully are able to enjoy a furlough sometime in the time frame of 9th or 10th grade and you realize that this is their last furlough before heading off to college. That means it is time to make the most of our furlough travels and visit some colleges along the way. As you are making these important visits and taking tours of college campuses you are rejoicing inside as your child is only fifteen (for example). You have plenty of time!

Then you blink your eyes and it is the summer before their Senior year of high school. All of your thinking of 'When will this ever end!' is now...about to end. All of a sudden it is hitting you quicker than you would like. You now switch to thoughts of 'Wait, wait, just a little bit longer!" "But I am not ready for him/her to fill out college applications. We have a whole year still!"

I think more for the Moms who do the majority of the homeschooling, okay, all of it, the thoughts are initially tied to the the amount of days left to get  said amount of school work completed, graded, translated into a GPA (depending on the curriculum you choose this can be easier for some than others), entered onto a transcript, and printed out elegantly on a high school diploma! Which, by the way, causes us to be wondering....if we homeschool in the village of........in Africa. Do we even DO a graduation for our ONE homeschool Senior??? (More thoughts on graduation for homeschoolers will be shared on my personal blog, coming soon!)Questions, questions, and more questions leave us feeling like we should have never started on this homeschooling journey in the first place! In other words, it is all starting to get real!

I know with our daughter, we returned from furlough after making all the college visits we needed to make, having celebrated her Sweet Sixteenth birthday in the States with friends and family and we felt overwhelmed. We had so much work to do and we could feel time speeding up on us. My daughter kept this note that I hung on her desk lamp for motivation for three school years. I haven't moved it even after she has gone away to college.

Dad's side of things:

Now, some of us are married to men whom we might think have no emotions about this sort of thing. But, please ladies, don't underestimate the struggle/turmoil your husband is experiencing inside about your son or daughter (especially!) leaving the nest. They are a bit more controlled about sharing their emotions, thoughts,and concerns because, either a.) they are not that good at expressing these new emotions, or b.) they understand the need you have for them to be the rock in the family and they are holding it all in.

What do fathers who don't always need to focus on the book knowledge of their child think about? They think about the preparedness of their son/daughter to face the real world. And for fathers of MKs who are about to leave the nest it is even more unsettling because they KNOW their children are not ready to face the world! It might be the understanding about the lack of their child's "street sense" because they never let them out of their site up to this point in their lives. It might be the simple realization that their children can't even drive a car so how are they going to make it in the real world where everyone can drive a car!?

Sadly, fathers also begin to think to rethink the years and how much they didn't do with their child. Whether it be a trip they wanted to take, a toy they wanted their child to have, or a go-cart they wanted to build together; often this is the time for regret. They begin to look at younger children and remember that just yesterday they should have been playing hide-and-seek in the back yard but they had something to do. Us Moms have these moments as well! But the poor Daddy's seem to get hit harder with these thoughts. It is a struggle between, we spent the years the best we could and wishing to stop the clock and rewind it just a few years.


Brothers and Sisters point of view:

The emotions of the siblings of our MKs varies depending on age and their level of understanding of  the soon coming change in their family dynamics. Sometimes they just want to enjoy the time together because it still seems like a while before their older sibling leaves for college. Just be ready for unexpected tears as the days of preparation grow nigh.




Advice the for that last year in a nutshell: Enjoy each day! Don't necessarily countdown! Focus on the time you do have and remember, when the stress of getting them settled in at college is all said and done, they will miss the little things. Little things become the big things and the most special memories are made in the simplest moments of life together as a family.

Our New Name and Look...and a GIVEAWAY!!

As many of you know, sometimes we need to be discreet in our line of work.  Therefore, we have decided to change our name, and along with it, a new look to our blog.  (Thanks, Dee Dee!)

So, welcome to...

In Her Shoes



We want to give you an opportunity to see the world through our eyes and have a walk in our shoes.

Please take the time and have a look around.  We have done some cleaning and organizing around here.  Our pages have also been updated (thanks, Charity!).  Check out our blogroll and go visit those ladies serving around the world.

You can also visit us on Facebook.  All of our blog posts are shared there, so you don't have to miss a single one!

And onto the giveaway!

I have 5 copies of our devotional book to giveaway.

(I'll mail anywhere.)

To enter simply leave a comment.

I will announce the winners on Monday, November 14.

Homesick for the Holidays

This was our home before we left for Australia.  We lived in a quaint little cabin in the woods.  It was our favorite home, and we lived just a mile from my family so that was an extra bonus.  Fall/Autumn is my favorite time of the year.  So much so that we named our daughter Autumn. 

I will admit, when I start seeing all my friends post their photos of fall leaves, corn mazes, and pumpkins, I get a bit homesick.  Please don't misunderstand, I'm quite content where God has placed me but there is just something about crisp, cool, hoodie-wearing, pumpkin-everything weather.  I live in an area where we have two seasons - dry and wet (which means very hot).  Right now our temps are averaging over 100F every. single. day.  I don't own any long sleeve shirts, let alone a hoodie.  I wear thongs (ahem, flip flops for all you Yanks) every day. 

When your fall weather changes and snow begins to fall, and it's 110F here, all I want to do is lay in snow until I have frostbite.  Alas, I can't, so what do I do to make it through the holidays?

I plan new traditions on the field! 

Last year we hosted our first (now annual) Thanksgiving dinner.  We call it "Come give thanks with the Yanks".  (Yanks is what Australians call Americans no matter what state you're from.)  We have had so many people ask us if we're going to do it again, how can we say no?!!  Last year we had almost 50 people attend.  This year we are expecting 80.  My wonderful dad sent me plates, serviettes (napkins), cups, some other decorations, and canned pumpkin.  I went onto Pinterest and found lots of projects to add to the décor.  Everyone had a wonderful time as we celebrated and gave thanks to God for His blessings. 

(Just in case you are interested, turkeys costs roughly $10-$15/kg, which is about $5-$10/lb.)

Although, technically it's spring in Australia (but really, it's our wet season), we still decorate the house for fall, or Thanksgiving.  I'm so glad we brought our decorations along.  This really makes our house feel like home to us.

I find Christmas is a bit harder here because Christmas tends to be the hottest time of year here.  But we've made some wonderful traditions that we've come to look forward to.

Close to Christmas, we will drive around our town looking at Christmas lights, we've even driven to the next town (3 hours north) to look at their Christmas lights.  There aren't many, but it helps put us in the Christmas mood.  We just pretend it's freezing out.  :)  Last year we also decorated our house with lights, we plan to make it bigger every year.  What an opportunity to use our house to point others to Christ!

Last year we put on a Christmas play at our church, this took a lot of effort on my part and kept me very busy, but it was so worth it!

The largest attendance we had up to this point.

Who doesn't love cute little sheep?!

We also decorate our home.  I was once told it looked like Christmas threw up in my living room.  I think I'm okay with that.

We still build a snowman every year.

We just have to be creative!

 

One of the other traditions we have started is baking cookies for our local firemen.  Police officers are not allowed to accept cookies, what a shame.  As a thank you, the chief fireman gave us a ride in his firetruck!

Another fun thing here, is everyone has their Christmas party at the local pool.

And I also try to make a special Christmas dinner.



 

So, although we are not "home" for the holidays, we have found a way to not just survive, but thrive at our "home away from home".   I believe it was Jim Elliot who said, "Wherever you are be all there."  I am human, I do get homesick, I do miss my family, I still cry when I hear the song "I'll be home for Christmas", but I also don't want to miss the memories that we are making here.   I want to be in the moment. 

I once read where someone described our job title as "Someone who leaves their family, so others can spend eternity with theirs." 

"It will be worth it all."



I'm curious, how do you celebrate the holidays away from family and friends?

 

 



Blooming in the Mire

Blooming in the Mire

Read any planters guide to successful flowers and you will see a long list of suggestions; ideal conditions, geographically matching plants to locations, watering, fertilizing, etc. I have yet to find one that says, find a sewage infested swamp and plant your favorites bush right beside it! If you have a black thumb like me, you can do all the suggestions and still manage to kill a plant. Which makes me even more aware of learning ideal conditions.

We as humans tend to be the same. We feel we blossom best when in ideal surroundings; ideal church, family and health, geographically matched to our preferences, watered regularly with encouragement by friends and supporters and fertilized with a prospering job and stock options. Take any of those away and we tend to feel our possibility to bloom and grow has been heinously ripped from our hands.

All of these comparisons came to mind as I drove out of our apartment complex in Kathmandu, Nepal. Now wipe away the picture you are forming in your mind about the apartment complex down the street, right off a suburban road or highway, surrounded by more family houses. God has blessed us with a lovely apartment with many blessings, like 24/7 electricity and water, plenty of places to park and a small patch of grass the kids can run around in. But the 360 view isn't what people from modern countries would expect. To the rear you see farmer fields and rustic houses, where they plow and sew almost year round and children on their days off play in the 2 ft rain puddles that form. To the right you see a hospital with heli-lift pad that is frequently used and the children run as the dust flies so that they can see this exciting occurrence. Straight ahead I see the other 6, 12 story apartment buildings surrounding mine.

And to the right is where my story begins. You exit the gate to the apartments and you see a brown and polluted stream flowing beside you as you exit. It's depths vary depending on the season and the stench is also regulated by the heat. It is inhabited by ducks that waddle through it daily as it discolors their beautiful God given colorful design. This has become a common sight for us. There is a small medal bridge with one hand rail that we and all the locals cross to reach the main road in shorter time. My daughter tentatively yet proudly crosses this 4 ft tall bridge on a regular basis. My usually reaction as I cross this way is, those poor ducks! Look at what they waddle around in everyday.

But a few weeks back we began our normal jaunt across the pond as I exited my apartment complex and something caught my eye. To my right, at the side of this brown and unlovely stream stood a tree whose foliage had grown quite wide during this last rainy season. It was a few yards wide and shading a large portion of one side of the stream. But what really caught my eye was the beautiful blossoms that flowered all over this tree. It was truly pretty. How did this happen? How did the beautiful creation develop in this unlikely place? It had bloomed in the mire.

My mind instantly flew to the correlation that tree had to life in generally and mine specifically. So many times you hear people quote their reasons for inability to grow; the pastor has too many faults, the messages aren't to my liking, life is too crazy, we have no money, so many other people are doing wrong, oh and the new favorite, the government is so Evil! But I have been blessed to see those in my life who have submitted to Gods unlikely and unattractive plan and have "Bloomed in the Mire".

My mind began reviewing my life. It is far from what others would call ideal. I've had so many people shake their heads and tell me wide eyed, "I could NOT do what you do." I do completely understand not understanding the grace that other people experience in trials we have never faced. I have heard the quote many times, "Grace Never comes early, but always when you need it." So, I totally understand not being able to fathom how others handle certain situations. To be honest I have the same feeling when I look at military families; Leaving their families for long stints and many times in dangerous situations. But, so many have done it with grace and growth! We all have our own burdens to bear. Each diligently weighed and prepared for us by the Lord. Each with the purpose of growing us closer to Christ then ever before, not ever meant to cripple us spiritually.

I think about how the mission field, the unlikely stage for comfortable living, has allowed me the opportunity on many many many occasions to either "Bloom in the Mire" or become bitter by the challenge. I have seen it result differently in so many stories. And I have taken each path myself at times. This beautiful tree in the unlikely place was such a great reminder of Gods grace and ability to bring beauty from filth; filth of the human heart, filth of the sinful world and filth of pollution.

But it really made me think about our part in the equation. What is necessary for us to do to "Bloom in the Mire" that God places us in. These are a few things I've either learned from failure and grace or from observing those who have blossomed so beautifully in spite of challenge.

How to Bloom in the Mire

1. We must realize God has a plan in everything.

When things start to fall apart or frustrations began to mount ALWAYS remember it isn't by chance! It is easy to think that things are spiraling out of control and we are helpless to control life or our reactions to it. We are prone to act like God not only doesn't have a plan but has lost total control. When we choose to fight circumstances more than we trust Gods plan we end in a lot of frustration! As Americans we tend to believe we can fight through everything! We believe with determination and enough effort we can do anything. And heaven help the fit that will be thrown if we can't! If Nepal has taught me anything it's been that we need God in every situation and He can and will give grace in every situation if we will simple acknowledge our need.

HE HAS A PLAN!

In everything, He has a plan. When you feel your back is against the wall. When you feel everyone is against you. When you feel evil is pushing down on your from every side; Rememeber He has a plan!

2. We Must Submit To His Plan.

Once we grasp that life isn't chance or luck we have a choice. Will we submit to the plan? This is even harder at times than accepting He has a plan at all. Whether it's being in a location we don't like, submitting to an authority we would prefer not to, being kind to those who maliciously attack you, being content and giving your desires and hopes to the Lord or anything that comes to your mind to "Bloom in the Mire" we MUST submit to His plan. We can bitterly fight it for our whole life. We can with bull-dog determination fight for what we perceive as right and good or we can trust that God has a plan to work through any and all situations to grow us and prune us. If you find yourself daily fighting something and finding no victory perhaps you are fighting Gods plan that will give you greater victory than you can imagine.

Submit.

Submit when it doesn't make sense.

Submit when you don't want to.

Submit when it feels like you can't.

Just submit and trust, just trust He will honour His Word and your faith. Because I promise he will!

 

No one want to live in the mire. No one draws blueprints for their dream home surrounded by muck and mire. But God puts us in places we never would to bring out of us what we never could. So trust, submit and Bloom in the Mire.

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The Vacuum of Cumberfield

I live in Cumberfield.

Well, not all the time.

It's kind of like a seasonal retreat, though the word "retreat" isn't exactly how I would describe Cumberfield. Nevertheless, as much as I dislike Cumberfield, somehow I get sucked right back into in like a Cheerio into a vacuum.

That's it. Cumberfield is a vacuum and I am a Cheerio.

Unfortunately, I am a Cheerio that seems to position myself in the line of suction of the Cumberfield vacuum.