Tag...You're It!

Most of you know we are homeschoolers and I have my youngest 3 at home still. Jesse LOVES history and loves to read biographies and anything that makes history come alive. We have found a new way to make history exciting for him...and for me! ;O) My dad teaches him!

Jesse and Grandpa have always had a special relationship and they have started a once-a-week history time together. My dad comes to get him and they go to my parent's house for 3-4 hours to talk and study! Jesse has been reading about the Civil War and so that is what they have been talking about recently. I think they are going to talk about some of the battles today, among other things.

I am excited that Jesse can have this special time with my dad and I am excited that I have a tag-team teacher in my dad! Here they are getting ready to leave today! Aren't they cute?! :O)

Tough Week!

This has been a tough week! We are dealing with a difficult situation with some friends and emotions are heightened. I understand the reason things have gone the way they have, but it still makes it tough! There were some slanderous comments made and, while I don't own the comments because they are purely based on emotion and not fact, it still hurts when a friend turns on you!

I have had to remind myself ~ a lot ~ that Jesus was wrongly accused. I have had to take my thoughts captive and not allow myself to let any unforgiveness go unchecked. I have had to choose to follow His instruction in Phil. 4...

Philip. 4:8-9 (MsgB)
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. [9] Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

I love my friend and am sorry she is hurting! I choose to pray for her and to hope that one day she will realize I am for her not against her!

Lord, please minister to my friend as only You can! Encourage her heart, remind her of your deep love for her and allow your peace to wrap her tight!

A Year Ago...

A year ago today we said good-bye to Granny. We knew the time was bound to come, she was 91 after all, but I just don't think we're ever ready to lose someone we love so much!

Granny was my buddy! We liked to talk crafting, and decorating and all things HGTV. We have many beautiful cross-stitch pictures, Christmas stockings and ornaments for our tree that she made. Decorating for Christmas this year was a little bittersweet because all the reminders of her were wonderful and sad all at the same time.

I am so thankful to have had a Granny that loved her grandkids and great-grandkids the way she did! I miss her little face and her hands twisted with arthritis! I miss calling my parent's house and having her answer the phone.

I love you, Granny, and hope you know things aren't quite the same here without you!

Today...

we get to celebrate Benji! He turns 15 today and that in itself blows my mind! Add to that the fact that he is 6'1", wears a size 14 shoe and has a deep man-voice and I am left wondering how the years could possibly move so fast!

Benji has matured into such an amazing young man that my heart can hardly contain itself. He has become such a servant-leader, is extremely tender-hearted and has developed such a fun sense of humour! He truly has become more than just my son...he's one of my very best friends in the whole wide world.

Benji, today we celebrate the incredible gift of you and thank Papa from the bottom of our hearts for entrusting us with you! We love you, buddy!!

Mama and Daddy

Remembering...

It's hard to believe that it has been a whole year since my friend, Sandy, met Jesus! I am sure there have been days her family thought would never end, but even for them it is hard to believe the time has gone so fast!

I hope you know, Sandy, that we have sought to encourage and love on those you left behind and I hope you would be happy with the job we have done. We miss you, friend, and think of you often!

Passion 2010...

Rachel and her friend and I got to attend Passion 2010 in Atlanta last weekend. There were somewhere between 21,000 and 26,000 in attendance (I heard various numbers) and it was absolutely amazing! What blessed me more than anything else was to see that many 18-25yo people who love Jesus enough to travel to Atlanta (many of them from foreign countries) in order to worship the Lord and learn more about Him! It made me cry more times than I can count, in fact I cried numerous times throughout the weekend and I am not even a big crier normally!

I loved all the musicians and all the speakers and the Lord allowed me to take home something from each one. I have to say the thought that most resonated in me as the message that EVERY human being needs to hear was when Andy Stanley said, "You can't decide where you want to go and what you want to do until you decide who you want to be!"

Just let the truth of that sink in for a minute! Don't you see how profound it is? So many people spend a lifetime trying to figure out what to do and where to go before they have ever determined in their heart WHO they want to BE!! We know middle aged men and women that it is clearly evident have never made this determination in their hearts because their lives are a shambles and they are chasing the temporal to try and satisfy the eternal need they have.

I know it has only been in the last few years that I have determined who I truly want to be and with that understanding has come incredible freedom. Freedom to be who He created me to be and freedom to be the kind of person I want to be without bowing to the constant expectations of others. It doesn't mean I never have days of struggle or second-guessing, but there is not the constant flip-flopping back and forth while trying to be a people-pleaser!

I still have my areas of insecurity and I had to deal with some of them last weekend a couple of times. I did deal with them, though, as I came to Him AGAIN and laid them at His feet and then I watched as He gently moved them from my reach so that they were hidden in the shadows of Him!!

Of course, with any mountian-top experience there is the expected re-entry that goes with it, but it has been a joy to come back and continue to praise Him and depend on Him in the confines of my own home with my own family! I am thankful beyond words for the opportunity we were given to attend Passion and pray I don't ever get over the things He planted deep within my heart during that time!

Mark 12:33 (MsgB)
And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that's better than all offerings and sacrifices put together!"

Holy Temperance!

There is the dissipation of soul which comes from entering needlessly and too deeply into the interests of this world. Every one of us has his divine calling; and within the circle pointed out by God Himself, interest in our work and its surroundings is a duty. But even here the Christian needs to exercise watchfulness and sobriety. And still more do we need a holy temperance in regard to things not absolutely imposed upon us by God. If abiding in Christ really be our first aim, let us beware of all needless excitement. Let us watch even in lawful and necessary things against the wondrous power these have to keep the soul so occupied, that there remains but little power or zest for fellowship with God. Then there is the restlessness and worry that come of care and anxiety about earthly things; these eat away the life of trust, and keep the soul like a troubled sea. There the gentle whispers of the Holy Comforter cannot be heard. Andrew Murray

Wow!! Wow!! Wow!! I read this tonight and it has rocked my world. It has put clearly into words what my soul has been struggling with lately.

We live in a technical world...a world in which we are connected to a very large realm of people, influences, situations and interests. The internet is an amazingly useful tool when we are in need of information that can enhance our lives, but it can be a destructive tool when we allow it to consume us and get us involved in things that He has not placed within the circle pointed out by God Himself!

With the advance of FB and other social networks, we can suddenly be privy to countless conversations between other people that we would not otherwise know about. We can read status updates that make us laugh, challenge us and make us think, but there are other status updates that have the power to cut us to the quick when we realize we have been left out.

The internet has allowed us to have almost instant access to huge news stories, heart-breaking tragedies and intimate details that would largely go unnoticed or unknown, but were it not for the power of the click of a button. We find ourselves burdened by things He never intended us to shoulder and our minds occupied by things we are powerless to control.

This part of the above quote truly brought me to my knees...

Then there is the restlessness and worry that come of care and anxiety about earthly things; these eat away the life of trust, and keep the soul like a troubled sea. There the gentle whispers of the Holy Comforter cannot be heard.

I have been so preoccupied by anxiety and worry that I have felt an overwhelming restlessness and knot in the pit of my stomach lately. I have been shouldering burdens that are not mine to shoulder instead of trusting Him to work and act and speak. And when He has spoken, I am sure I have lately missed His whispered answers because of the chaotic thoughts clanging around in my head.

I do have a divine calling on my life and He has given me a circle of influence that is solely for Him and me to tackle on our own. I do need to exercise watchfulness and sobriety, though. I need to guard against becoming too involved in things that He never intended me to get involved in in the first place. In so doing, it frees me up to be fully present and available to hear from Him, to act when He gives instruction and to be effective in the circle He has placed me in.

Lord, I pray I would truly see and understand the circle of influence in which You have placed me. I pray that I would be quick to listen and slow to speak. I am sorry I have allowed my soul to become occupied by conversations, thoughts, or scenarios that you never intended for me to be a part of. I need a holy temperance, Lord, for the things not imposed upon me by You!! Would I not allow the distractions of this world to drown out the voice of the One Who I desperately desire to hear above all others...which is Yours! I ask you to forgive me, Lord, for allowing myself to misuse my time in ways that have not be ordained by You!! Thank you for revealing this to me on this first day of this new year, that I may start this year afresh!!!

Word for 2010...

Every year on the Five In a Row boards, we pick a word that encompasses much of what we hope the coming year holds for us. I have been so unsure of what my word should be. I feel I have so many areas that require attention that I don't even know where to start. As I was praying and reading, I felt that I finally figured out the word that truly does encompass all the others and it is...

GRACE!

2 Cor. 12:9 (MsgB)
and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it's all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.

Strong’s (#5485) defines grace as "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life."

I need His divine influence on my heart that it may be reflected in my life! The Bible says grace is all I need! My very needy self has found the answer.

I recently taught on grace with my friend, Julie, and I am getting ready to teach on it again in a couple of weeks. I am reading a book on grace and now I feel my word is grace. Does anyone see a pattern here? I really am a slow-learner sometimes it would seem because He sure has needed to give me a lot of directional signs for me to finally catch on.

I get it now, though. I am at the station waiting for the doors to open so I can jump on the train to grace! Not sure what we'll see along the way, nor how long it will take to get there. I heard the Conductor is One to really be trusted, though, so I figure I am in good hands!

It's funny, too, that the above verse is the one He showed me because I am tired and feeling weak...physically, emotionally and even spiritually the last few weeks. How comforting to know that this is truly when His strength can well up within me.

Oh how I want His divine influence in my life so that I might reflect HIM! Have you ever seen this picture?



I love it! The created is looking in the mirror and drawing what he sees...the Creator! Oh how I desire to see His reflection staring back at me as I gaze into my own eyes! May it be so in 2010!!

Lord, as we close out this year of 2009 which has been so full of painful moments, joyous moments and reflective moments, would we pause and contemplate what we have learned through it all. And then, as we look forward to the fresh slate that 2010 presents us, would we contemplate what we desire to learn and hear from you in the days to come! May our deepest heart's desire to be to reflect you for the good of our relationship with You AND our relationship with others!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, with love, from our family to yours! May you experience joy as you reflect on the reason we celebrate...Happy Birthday, Jesus!!!

Quite Unexpected!

When you ponder the birth of our Savior, it's really no wonder why the Jews have yet to believe that He has, in fact, already visited the earth. One would expect the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to be received with a little more pomp and circumstance than was actually the case, don't you think?

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, I don't imagine there were any signs like this one announcing their destination...



I don't think there were any street signs pointing to where He would first lay His head...



I imagine a weary Mama and her betrothed, sensing the time was upon them, found the least offensive place they could given their impending circumstances. I don't think it is what they imagined when they considered their sweet firstborn, the One Whom the angel had enlightened them about, making His appearance into their family and ultimately into the hearts of all who believed.

Reality is, our Savior was born in the most unlikely circumstances in the most unlikely place ~ a manger! Our nostalgic little nativity scenes don't quite do the moment justice, though, do they? This is what a manger in those days most probably looked like...



Not exactly plush accommodations, right? Maybe there was some hay in there to soften His initial resting place, but any way you look at it...a manger is not quite what we would expect.

He was conceived through the unexpected, birthed in a place that was unexpected, lived a life that was unexpected and died an unexpected death in a most unexpected way for Someone Who could change history with a simple verbal command. He certainly, even by the standards of those in His inner circle, did the unexpected when He rose from the dead and He continues to do the unexpected in my life day after day.

Lord, You have never been One to do what was expected of You. You never caved to public opinion or human expectations of what your birth, death and resurrection should look like. You continue to show up in unexpected ways and at unexpected times in the the lives of those Who seek You! Please continue to show Yourself to me in the most unlikely of circumstances at the most unlikely times, that I may never think I have you all figured out!

Mark Your Calendars!

If you have followed me at all, you know that we are homeschoolers. We have always homeschooled exclusively up until this year. This year our oldest 2 entered a Christian school, Rachel as a senior and Benji as a freshman. The younger 3 are still at home with me and homeschooling is just a part of who we are.

Early in the spring of this year, Amanda Bennett asked if Tim and I would be willing to speak at the Midwest Homeschool Convention In Cincinnati, April 8-10, 2010. That seemed like such a looonnnggg way away and not too intimidating so I asked Tim and we agreed to do it.

Do you know that there are exactly 117 days until April 8, 2010? I promise I didn't count them all up myself. I googled "How many days from December 12, 2009 until April 8, 2010" and up popped a countdown calculator! It always blows my mind all you can find on the internet and it sure was faster than pulling out a calendar and counting!

Anyway, I digress...117 days does not suddenly seem that far away and I must admit I get more than a few butterflies when I think about it. I was actually doing okay until my friend Kelly in AZ said she was coming and she started listing all our friends she was going to bring with her. And then Michael from Tim's Bible study said he and his whole family were coming and suddenly, I went from being okay because I was sure I wouldn't know anyone to, "Oh my goodness, what have I agreed to do?" LOL!!! Oh I forgot, Amanda also sent me a link to a news story that was talking about the thousands of people who would attend this homeschool convention. I told her if she was trying to scare me off she was doing a very good job!!

Okay, I'm not quite that bad yet, but I do still have 117 days to work myself into a tizzy if I am not careful to take my thoughts captive. I may have to handcuff these thoughts and triple lock them and then throw away the key in order to keep them captive for the necessary time to drive from Atlanta to Cincy. All that time to think is sure to push me over the edge.

The part of this whole story that is absolutely hilarious, though, is the fact that Tim has never even darkened the doors of a homeschool convention, much less been asked to speak. I have resisted the urge to school him in all things homeschool from wardrobe, to hairstyles to catch words like "courting" and "patriarchs"! Fortunately for him, the homeschool demographics have broadened and he may have an easier time blending in. Not that he has ever tried to blend in anywhere, but there was a time when he would have stuck out like a relaxed homeschooler at a Well-Trained Mind symposium!

So, if you have a hankering to see the first (and potentially last) time that Tim Cash ever experiences AND speaks at a homeschool convention, make sure to mark your calendars! It just may prove to be a very memorable weekend!!

http://www.cincinnatihomeschoolconvention.com/

Love Me Some Christmas!

I love Christmas and all that comes with it! I have some favourite Christmas decorations and thought I'd share them with you! Ready...


These are a new acquisition that I got this year at a second-hand store. I just LOVE their little faces and they make me so happy!

The mantle that I really enjoy! My Granny cross-stiched each stocking for our kids and, since this is our first Christmas without her, it was especially poignant putting them up this year!

Our Christmas tree! It's not formal...it's just US!

My favourite nativity we have had since we got married!

The Book!

Rachel babysits for a member of the Atlanta Falcons. Friday night they were going out and so she went to care for their 2 sweet ones. She had not been there long when she called, obvious excitement in her voice.

"Mama, you're never going to guess what I am staring at right now!"

I quickly wracked my brain to try and come up with a reasonable explanation for her fervor, but I was left wondering. I guess I should digress at this point and let you know that Rachel is a rather unusual teenage girl. She is a sports junkie and nothing makes her come alive like a good baseball, football or basketball game! Given that knowledge, I figured it must be sports related, but the details of which escaped me! I told her I gave up...

"I am staring at the playbook for the game between the Falcons and the Eagles this Sunday. The real playbook. The key to everything that is going to take place on the field this week!"

When I got done laughing and inwardly rolling my eyes, I admonished her not to even open the cover!

"Oh, I wouldn't", she replied, "but it sure is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen!" (I told you she was rather unusual! :insertrollingeyeshere:)

After telling her I thought it would be okay to take a picture of the cover with her phone, I hung up and shook my head. What a nut!

Last night while laying in bed, though, I revisited our conversation (with a giggle, of course) and suddenly I was struck with a thought. How many people are facing the Playbook for the game of life, but never do more than stare at the cover? You with me? I am refering to the Bible, of course!!!

The Falcons playbook was designed specifically for the opponent they were going to be facing that particular Sunday. The Bible was given to us so we would be prepared to meet the opponent we will go up against every day from now to eternity...satan!!!

Why then do we fail to open our Playbook and read what the One Who has already been victorious shares with us is our best offensive tactics? Football players would rather focus on their offense and not have to rely too heavily on their defense. A good defense is necessary, but if the offense is on their game, the defense is not as taxed.

It's the same for us in life. The Lord has laid out in a very clear and concise way what our best offensive plan of attack is. He has also laid out a defensive plan, but if we employ the offensive tactics, the defensive ones are not as necessary.

The reality that we face an opponent who is alive and well and seeking to annihilate us at any moment is a given. Why enter the battle each day without having read the Playbook and seeing what patterns the Coach thinks we should run that day then? It's all there...everything we'll need to play effectively.

You know the only difference between a football playbook and the Bible?

If we follow the plan of attack laid out for us in the Bible, we are GUARANTEED a win. Unfortunately, as Sunday quickly revealed, the Falcons were not as fortunate. Their play book is, at best, providing hope that they will come out on top! Our Playbook ENSURES that we will be victorious and reign with Him for all eternity!

Don't let your Playbook gather dust! Read it, memorize it and employ the things you learn when you find yourself engaged in battle. It's the only Book that holds all the answers for a fool-proof offense!

Santa in the Manger!

We got a card the other day
A Christmas one, in fact,
But it really was the strangest thing
And showed such little tact.

For laying in the manger
Was Santa, big as life,
Surrounded by some little elves
And Rudolph and his wife.

There was so much excitement
That the shepherd’s saw the glow
Of Rudolph’s bright and shining nose
Reflected on the snow.

So in they rushed to see him
Followed by the wise men three,
Who came not bearing any gifts ~
Just some stockings and a tree.

They gathered round about him
To sing praises to his name;
A song about Saint Nicholas
And how he came to fame.

Then they handed him the lists they’d made
Of, oh, so many toys
That they were sure they would receive
For being such good boys.

And sure enough he chuckled,
While reaching in his bag,
And placed in all their outstretched hands
A gift that bore a tag.

And on that tag was printed
A simple verse that read,
“Even though it’s Jesus’ birthday,
Please take this gift instead.”

Then I realized they really did
Know Who this day was for
Though by every indication
They had just chosen to ignore.

And Jesus looked upon this scene,
His eyes so filled with pain ~
They said this year’d be different
But they’d forgotten Him again.

Barb Cash

An Empty Manger...

I wrote this post originally 2 Christmases ago, but I think it bears repeating. For what it's worth, I do have a Jesus in my manger, but it's really the mental concept of leaving Him there that I am driving at...

Okay, I am sure the title of this entry may not make any sense to you, but bear with me!

Have you ever wondered why so many people can accept the reality of Jesus being born, but never see their need for Him as their Saviour? I have been pondering this lately and the Lord, I believe, showed me one possible reason why...
Some people have never taken Jesus out of the manger!!!

Think with me for a minute...Even with the attempts of some to remove Jesus from Christmas all together, there is still ample opportunity to see a manger scene in stores, in front of churches and in many of our homes. We, ourselves, have one out front of the house and at least 5 or 6 displayed inside ~ some all year round. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, it gives the illusion to some that Jesus was merely a baby who was born amidst much hoopla. End of the story!
The reality of his birth is not hard for them to grasp, but they stop short of acknowledging that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favour with God and man. They can't accept the crucifixion and they certainly don't want to mentally entertain the thought of the resurrection. Why you may ask?

Well, as long as Jesus is tucked safely away in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger He is no threat to them and the "safe" little world they have created for themselves. To allow Him to grow up, suffer unimaginably and then raise Himself from the dead requires something from us! It requires us to search our hearts and come to some tough conclusions...either Jesus is Who He says He is or He made the whole thing up!

When our children have a birthday we have a lot of fun remembering their birth stories and laughing about how each one made their grand entrance into our world. We don't stop there, though. We also celebrate who each child has become and what they mean to each of us now! We don't just look at pictures of them as a newborn, sing them a song and then go on with our lives until the next year when we pull out the birth pictures again! To do that would be to deny the reality of who they have become to us and how our lives have been forever changed because of the privilege of sharing this journey with them.

So let me challenge you as you celebrate the birthday of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Enjoy those mangers and, by all means, remember how God came to earth wrapped in flesh, but once the 26th of December rolls around ~ put Baby Jesus away. Let others see an empty animal trough and ask you what happened to Jesus! It may just be the opportunity you've been looking for to share the hope we have in Christ! Share the rest of the story! Not only is that manger empty , but that tomb they placed His tortured body in is, too!

My life has forever been changed because of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! If yours has, too, then join with me in letting others know that our mangers are empty and we serve a resurrected Lord!