Wednesday, November 25:
Very cloudy & rained some. Men came & put coping on woodhouse & fixed barn doors. I ironed & worked some on dress, got din & sewed some. Charley & I cleaned out the cistern. Done up work & got sup & rested. Rained this evening. Pa phoned from Logan as he went to funeral at Bennett Switch. Aunt Sarah piecing double Irish chain quilt for May (my grandmother), blue & white.
In leafing through this personal account of an ordinary day in 1907, I am once again reminded of how things have changed in just 104 years, and also how things have remained the same.
Yesterday afternoon, two of my grandies were here after school. I planned to give them a glimpse of the "Thanksgiving Project" we 3 will do together come this Thursday morning, while their parents are working on the dinner. The annual project serves as a distraction from the meal prep and provides the kids and me a bit of fun in making something to share with the dinner guests. In past years we have made craft projects or placemats. This year we are making chocolate acorns (thanks to Gracie Collins for the idea!) from Hershey kisses and mini-vanilla wafers, pretzels, peanut butter and a dab of chocolate icing.
In addition to the "project", I thought it might be fun to have the kids try a true contribution to the meal by making applesauce using red hots, a little sugar and chunked up apples. So yesterday after school we gave the applesauce a try, just to see how long it takes and to determine if we really like the end result.
I set the kids at different stations at the kitchen counter, each with a cutting board, halved apples and sharp paring knives. I helped Emme (age 7) with the slicing and she did her own dicing. Bailey (age 10) was more savvy with the knife and did his own slicing and chunking. As a pile collected, I dumped them into the saucepan with some red hots and we watched and stirred.
The reward from our efforts was much better than I anticipated! We all 3 loved the bright red chunky sauce, and we took turns sampling a cooled spoonful of the yummy fruit from a small dish. We agreed that this will be a big hit on Thanksgiving Day, and we must serve it warm. Yum!
The big difference between my great-grandmother's entry above and our plan for Thanksgiving preparation is that she did her baking and cooking as part of her normal day. She still sewed, worked outside, prepared meals and performed necessary tasks to keep the household going. In 2011, our modern way of life does not require me to add the fun time with children to an already-busy day. I had spent the earlier part of Friday (my day off from work) going to appointments and running a few errands. The joy of cooking with my grandies was an activity not a chore.
I'm fairly certain that my great-grandmother had no idea she was making a "gifts list" when she recorded her diary entries. She worked hard, indoors & out, devoted time to family and found time to read, rest and write. The diary was simply a recording of her day. Did it ever occur to her that others after her might read and hang onto every word?
This Thanksgiving, as with virtually all 63 of my Thankgiving holidays, I have the privilege of celebrating God's Bounty and appreciating the people He has put in my path. I do not have to feed chickens, bake pies from scratch, travel by interurban or horse-drawn carriage. I am blessed beyond words and perusing her diary brings me back to reality. Re-reading One Thousand Gifts, spurs me forward with my own list:
144. Savoring the moment
156. Judy's email
190. Making applesauce with grandies
191. Supper with hubby at McAllister's
193. He is my Portion.
194. Reading in the recliner.
I am smitten with God these days. Plain and simple, I have fallen in love with Him as never before. And as my heart swells with His love and grace for others, my gifts list expands and opens my heart to more of His abundance.
For my heritage of faith, the words echoing from a fragile red leather diary, for parents who cherished me and my brothers, for husband and family that I adore, for a family of faith and for co-workers and friends, I am blessed beyond words. This is Thanksgiving.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The inheritance
Every now and then, I pull out the old diaries that fell to me when Mom died a few years ago. She was apparently the keeper of the journals and diaries of her ancestors; these volumes are rich with family information as well as historical tidbits from their day.
The diary I picked up today was dated 1907, and was written in the hand of my great-grandmother. I immediately turned to the November 13 entry which was a Friday that year.
"Cold. Charlie here we put up big room stove & also coal stove in library ...did not have enough pipe. Pa went to Walton to get pipe...I finished pillowcases & done lots of other things. Got sup(per), Aunt Sarah went over to Pearl Fitsers in afternoon. Bill Tritt here for poultry; sold him 8 turkey hens for $9.96. W. Devinney here got 2 turkey hens & 9 chickens for $4.64. Brother B here at night, helped us fix stovepipe."
Exactly 104 years ago those words were written in pencil, in a small red leather book with lined and numbered pages. The book is now faded, tattered and fragile, but the entries are like a time capsule taking me back to a time entirely unfamiliar to the life I know in 2011.
Even before reading any of my ancestors' writings, I have made efforts to journal also, in the hope that one day my words might have a lasting value of some degree to someone, if for no other reason than to note the passage of time and the change in our culture. I saved a couple of my journals, and I have made stabs on computer also to record happenings and events for the purpose of sharing with generations after mine. It isn't that I have a lot to say about today's world. It's more about sharing my little corner of the world so that the generations following mine will see that some things never change.
It is a daunting task to write daily, as my forefathers did. Several of them were prolific and wrote faithfully. Some entries are short and only include weather and what they had for dinner. But this is at least a record for someone after them to read, thereby providing a glimpse - just a passing scene or two - of the life they led those many years before.
I have found in more than one of the old journals several references to faith in Christ and an active involvement in church. This makes me smile, and it gives me hope that the faith I am planting in the hearts and minds of my grandchildren might some day come to fruition. The inheritance of faith is the only treasure that matters. Of all the "stuff" left behind by my parents, it is photos and these journals that matter the most to me.
The Bible has a lot to say about our inheritance and what we leave to others, also. But it's not always about stuff....
Proverbs 12:22....A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Psalm 33:12....Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
Colossians 1:12....giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
Colossians 3:24... since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
As the holidays approach, it is another reminder to me that time waits for no one. Seasons change, new life is born into this world, and at the same time other lives come to an end. There is nothing any of us can do to stop the passage of time. What we can do, though, is to make the most of the days we have. Am I doing enough to spread the Gospel of Christ to others, especially within my own family? Am I making the most of my days, or am I wasting time in frivolous and unnecessary activities? How does my commitment to Christ "show" in my daily life?
Today with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I am praising God for my ancestors - and for my inheritance of not only relationships and people, but also my precious inheritance of saving faith. What a delight it will be to one day find those members of my family among the saints in Heaven. We have so much to talk about!
Colossians 1:11
...being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
In keeping with my original reason for launching this blog, today I am craving God more than ever. I am finding Him present around every corner, in songs on the radio, in conversations with children, in emails from friends, in Bible study lessons, in expressions of love given and received.
Soon the table will be spread with Thanksgiving turkey and dressing and all the trimmings. Before I get caught up in the Season, let it be said today that I praise God for giving me a heart that continues to beat and a mind that continues to work. I praise Him for friends, family, technology, journals, inheritance of faith, abundance of food and an over-abundance of tangible stuff. I praise Him for the opportunity work at a job that I love, to be intimately involved in the lives of people, and for His saving grace. Truly, God is good.... all the time.
The diary I picked up today was dated 1907, and was written in the hand of my great-grandmother. I immediately turned to the November 13 entry which was a Friday that year.
"Cold. Charlie here we put up big room stove & also coal stove in library ...did not have enough pipe. Pa went to Walton to get pipe...I finished pillowcases & done lots of other things. Got sup(per), Aunt Sarah went over to Pearl Fitsers in afternoon. Bill Tritt here for poultry; sold him 8 turkey hens for $9.96. W. Devinney here got 2 turkey hens & 9 chickens for $4.64. Brother B here at night, helped us fix stovepipe."
Exactly 104 years ago those words were written in pencil, in a small red leather book with lined and numbered pages. The book is now faded, tattered and fragile, but the entries are like a time capsule taking me back to a time entirely unfamiliar to the life I know in 2011.
Even before reading any of my ancestors' writings, I have made efforts to journal also, in the hope that one day my words might have a lasting value of some degree to someone, if for no other reason than to note the passage of time and the change in our culture. I saved a couple of my journals, and I have made stabs on computer also to record happenings and events for the purpose of sharing with generations after mine. It isn't that I have a lot to say about today's world. It's more about sharing my little corner of the world so that the generations following mine will see that some things never change.
It is a daunting task to write daily, as my forefathers did. Several of them were prolific and wrote faithfully. Some entries are short and only include weather and what they had for dinner. But this is at least a record for someone after them to read, thereby providing a glimpse - just a passing scene or two - of the life they led those many years before.
I have found in more than one of the old journals several references to faith in Christ and an active involvement in church. This makes me smile, and it gives me hope that the faith I am planting in the hearts and minds of my grandchildren might some day come to fruition. The inheritance of faith is the only treasure that matters. Of all the "stuff" left behind by my parents, it is photos and these journals that matter the most to me.
The Bible has a lot to say about our inheritance and what we leave to others, also. But it's not always about stuff....
Proverbs 12:22....A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.
Psalm 33:12....Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.
Colossians 1:12....giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
Colossians 3:24... since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
As the holidays approach, it is another reminder to me that time waits for no one. Seasons change, new life is born into this world, and at the same time other lives come to an end. There is nothing any of us can do to stop the passage of time. What we can do, though, is to make the most of the days we have. Am I doing enough to spread the Gospel of Christ to others, especially within my own family? Am I making the most of my days, or am I wasting time in frivolous and unnecessary activities? How does my commitment to Christ "show" in my daily life?
Today with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I am praising God for my ancestors - and for my inheritance of not only relationships and people, but also my precious inheritance of saving faith. What a delight it will be to one day find those members of my family among the saints in Heaven. We have so much to talk about!
Colossians 1:11
...being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
In keeping with my original reason for launching this blog, today I am craving God more than ever. I am finding Him present around every corner, in songs on the radio, in conversations with children, in emails from friends, in Bible study lessons, in expressions of love given and received.
Soon the table will be spread with Thanksgiving turkey and dressing and all the trimmings. Before I get caught up in the Season, let it be said today that I praise God for giving me a heart that continues to beat and a mind that continues to work. I praise Him for friends, family, technology, journals, inheritance of faith, abundance of food and an over-abundance of tangible stuff. I praise Him for the opportunity work at a job that I love, to be intimately involved in the lives of people, and for His saving grace. Truly, God is good.... all the time.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Complacent, who me?
With every deliberate change in habit or lifestyle, there are times that the change itself grates on me, like an emery board on a fingernail. Even though I know in my mind, believe in my heart and understand with every fiber of my being that the change is pleasing to God, I find the old rebellion creeping into my thoughts.
Psalm 30:9......These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction.
I'm afraid that's me, over and over. I seemingly learn a "lesson" - even one that I've sought out myself, gone to the Lord to learn - and the moment things don't go my way, I'm ready to bail and return to my old ways.
These past few days I've been on a weight plateau. Okay, before you say "Blah, blah, blah...", hear me out. Learning to crave God more than food, drink and "stuff" has truly become a way of life for me. No argument. But it's much easier to expound that truth when the weight is coming off quickly and easily. That's what happened to me the first eight weeks - I simply ate the things that seemed healthiest, allowed hunger to be a part of my day, faithfully studied God's Word and sought Him out more and more, and the weight fell off my body. But now I'm ten weeks into my redirected life, and the weight loss is slowing down to a crawl, or it seems so at least.
This disappointing fact led me today to search out the words "complacent" and "comfortable" in the Scriptures. I did not find those words, per se, but I did find related verses that God thought I needed to take a look at. Not surprising, He led me in a different direction from complacent - toward "longing":
Psalm 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Psalm 37:23
The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm...
Deuteronomy 6:14
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you...
Deuteronomy 28:65
Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart.
Psalm 112:10
The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
A weight plateau is nothing new, nor is it the end of the world. It is what it IS. It is a "resting place" as I continue my journey toward a healthier Me. I see from His Word that He fully expects me to continue on, reaching for His strong hand and endeavoring to catch up to His quick strides. God is certainly using this little detour to remind me that, once again, He is in control. If I've learned anything these past ten weeks, it's that God truly is in control.
My willpower? Weaker than watery Kool Aid. God led me to crave Him at this point in my life to demonstrate that my willpower is practically non-existent. That's why I need Him.
I sing the mighty power of God, That made the mountains rise;
That spread the flowing seas abroad, And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, And all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, That filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with His word, And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, Where'er I turn my eye;
If I survey the ground I tread, Or gaze upon the sky.
(Isaac Watts, 1715)
So that you do not think me a whiner. I must say in my defense that my yo-yo weight the past 50+ years has been a struggle that I would not wish on my worst enemy. What I LONG for, what I DESIRE, what I SEEK is stability. I have no aspirations of reaching the Wii Fit 119.5 pounds recommended weight. What I do aspire to is a reasonable weight so that I may better function as a human being. What I pray for is a heart that is more willing to serve God everyday, not just on certain designated days. What I strive for is to hear Him rewarding me with encouraging words, confirmation that He walks the road along with me.
Today, even though I am human and still have human disappointments and struggles, I sing the mighty power of God.
Psalm 30:9......These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction.
I'm afraid that's me, over and over. I seemingly learn a "lesson" - even one that I've sought out myself, gone to the Lord to learn - and the moment things don't go my way, I'm ready to bail and return to my old ways.
These past few days I've been on a weight plateau. Okay, before you say "Blah, blah, blah...", hear me out. Learning to crave God more than food, drink and "stuff" has truly become a way of life for me. No argument. But it's much easier to expound that truth when the weight is coming off quickly and easily. That's what happened to me the first eight weeks - I simply ate the things that seemed healthiest, allowed hunger to be a part of my day, faithfully studied God's Word and sought Him out more and more, and the weight fell off my body. But now I'm ten weeks into my redirected life, and the weight loss is slowing down to a crawl, or it seems so at least.
This disappointing fact led me today to search out the words "complacent" and "comfortable" in the Scriptures. I did not find those words, per se, but I did find related verses that God thought I needed to take a look at. Not surprising, He led me in a different direction from complacent - toward "longing":
Psalm 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Psalm 37:23
The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm...
Deuteronomy 6:14
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you...
Deuteronomy 28:65
Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart.
Psalm 112:10
The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
A weight plateau is nothing new, nor is it the end of the world. It is what it IS. It is a "resting place" as I continue my journey toward a healthier Me. I see from His Word that He fully expects me to continue on, reaching for His strong hand and endeavoring to catch up to His quick strides. God is certainly using this little detour to remind me that, once again, He is in control. If I've learned anything these past ten weeks, it's that God truly is in control.
My willpower? Weaker than watery Kool Aid. God led me to crave Him at this point in my life to demonstrate that my willpower is practically non-existent. That's why I need Him.
I sing the mighty power of God, That made the mountains rise;
That spread the flowing seas abroad, And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, And all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, That filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with His word, And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, Where'er I turn my eye;
If I survey the ground I tread, Or gaze upon the sky.
(Isaac Watts, 1715)
So that you do not think me a whiner. I must say in my defense that my yo-yo weight the past 50+ years has been a struggle that I would not wish on my worst enemy. What I LONG for, what I DESIRE, what I SEEK is stability. I have no aspirations of reaching the Wii Fit 119.5 pounds recommended weight. What I do aspire to is a reasonable weight so that I may better function as a human being. What I pray for is a heart that is more willing to serve God everyday, not just on certain designated days. What I strive for is to hear Him rewarding me with encouraging words, confirmation that He walks the road along with me.
Today, even though I am human and still have human disappointments and struggles, I sing the mighty power of God.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Life is dessert
It's been several day since my last post. Life has been very busy recently, and the days ebb and flow, one into another. Some nights when I lie down to sleep I wonder what happened to the 16 or 17 hours just past... where did they go?
One Thousand Gifts, which I am re-reading and savoring even more the second time through, reminded me this week that "Life is dessert - too brief to hurry. You don't want to wolf it down." Like the author, "I want to slow down and taste life, give thanks and see God."
Seeing God in all the small stuff is not entirely new to me, but these past few weeks my antennae have been especially fine-tuned to His presence and His creation. I tear up at the sight of a sunrise, at the hum of the combine outside my window, at the sight of the orangey gold maple leaves falling to the ground... the sky seems more brilliant than in past autum seasons, but I KNOW it's been like this before. It's just that... well, I'm aware, much more aware of what God is up to.
This journey of learning to crave God more than food and "stuff" has taken up residence in my heart and soul. Oh sure, I have moments when I "don't want to do this anymore" but it's a short argument in my own mind: If I don't do this anymore, look at what I am giving up - and look at what I am wasting. Discipline has never been one of my best traits. If it were, I would never have gotten so extremely heavy in the first place. So the battle for my mind continues between God and the Evil One who would like for me to give up, give in, throw in the towel and have a slice of devil's food cake!
The UP side to continuing my journey has so many aspects that I cannot name them all. It's obvious that I will continue toward a healthy weight, even though I may never arrive at my "ideal weight" according to the Wii-Fit that antagonizes me daily (119.5... REALLY???????). I will continue to have health benefits that I currently enjoy - no indigestion, less joint pain, better sleep pattern. My joy will hopefully continue to erupt more frequently - sometimes I just want to shout to the wind how GREAT GOD IS! And the biggie: my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ has grown closer. I'm beginning to hear His sandals scuffing along the sidewalk beside me.
In order to grow stronger in discipline and stronger in my faith, it's imperative that I stay in God's Word - everyday. As Ann Voskamp puts it, "Without God's Word as a lens, the world warps." That's putting it mildly.
My own world is by no means perfect. I see room for change and improvement all around me and every time I look in the mirror. But I'm taking firm steps forward and "...always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:20)
I've recently witnessed bitterness and discontent in the hearts of two elderly ladies. My greatest fear is that will be ME someday. Did those women ever feel as I do now... that God is GREAT and that He is all I need? If so, when and how did they lose that knowledge? Life is dessert...and I refuse to hurry through it.
One Thousand Gifts, which I am re-reading and savoring even more the second time through, reminded me this week that "Life is dessert - too brief to hurry. You don't want to wolf it down." Like the author, "I want to slow down and taste life, give thanks and see God."
Seeing God in all the small stuff is not entirely new to me, but these past few weeks my antennae have been especially fine-tuned to His presence and His creation. I tear up at the sight of a sunrise, at the hum of the combine outside my window, at the sight of the orangey gold maple leaves falling to the ground... the sky seems more brilliant than in past autum seasons, but I KNOW it's been like this before. It's just that... well, I'm aware, much more aware of what God is up to.
This journey of learning to crave God more than food and "stuff" has taken up residence in my heart and soul. Oh sure, I have moments when I "don't want to do this anymore" but it's a short argument in my own mind: If I don't do this anymore, look at what I am giving up - and look at what I am wasting. Discipline has never been one of my best traits. If it were, I would never have gotten so extremely heavy in the first place. So the battle for my mind continues between God and the Evil One who would like for me to give up, give in, throw in the towel and have a slice of devil's food cake!
The UP side to continuing my journey has so many aspects that I cannot name them all. It's obvious that I will continue toward a healthy weight, even though I may never arrive at my "ideal weight" according to the Wii-Fit that antagonizes me daily (119.5... REALLY???????). I will continue to have health benefits that I currently enjoy - no indigestion, less joint pain, better sleep pattern. My joy will hopefully continue to erupt more frequently - sometimes I just want to shout to the wind how GREAT GOD IS! And the biggie: my walk with the Lord Jesus Christ has grown closer. I'm beginning to hear His sandals scuffing along the sidewalk beside me.
In order to grow stronger in discipline and stronger in my faith, it's imperative that I stay in God's Word - everyday. As Ann Voskamp puts it, "Without God's Word as a lens, the world warps." That's putting it mildly.
My own world is by no means perfect. I see room for change and improvement all around me and every time I look in the mirror. But I'm taking firm steps forward and "...always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:20)
I've recently witnessed bitterness and discontent in the hearts of two elderly ladies. My greatest fear is that will be ME someday. Did those women ever feel as I do now... that God is GREAT and that He is all I need? If so, when and how did they lose that knowledge? Life is dessert...and I refuse to hurry through it.
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