Form vs. Heart (Trail Blaze #2)

It is so easy to get trapped (as a mom, as a woman, as a wife, as a child of God) in thinking that a particular *form* is what's needful, rather than understanding that it is the heart with which God is concerned.  Don't fall into this trap!

I'll offer one example, but it's merely an example... an example of a "good thing" that can be elevated to a "necessary thing" if you look at the form, rather than the heart of the matter:

THE 5AM "QUIET TIME"
For example- the 5am quiet time.   Is this necessary?  Some bloggers and books seem to communicate that waking before your children is the "right" thing to do.  That if you're godly enough, if you prepare enough, if you are diligent enough (see how all this depends so stringently on *you* being good enough?), then you'll make a way for this to happen.  "Because if God's Word is important to you," their 'wisdom' goes, "you'll make Scripture the first priority in your life."

Well, I would argue with that line of thinking for many reasons--

1. Your priorities in life do not always/necessarily line up with the chronology of your day.  Sometimes you do something first because it makes sense to do it first, not because it's necessarily the most important, or because it's the most valuable to you.  Sometimes you put off something that is extremely valuable to you because you want to be able to give it your best attention or focus.  The timing is not always the key factor in whether something is a priority to you. 
2. This way of thinking completely dismisses the idea of seasons in a woman's life.  God Himself, in Isaiah 40:11 among other places, indicates that expectations differ based on the stage a "sheep" is in. One who has only young children, a nursing baby, a child with special needs, or other unique demands, is simply in a different stage than someone with teenagers, a college student, or an empty nester.  
3. It smacks of pharasaical thinking.  One description that sticks out for me (of the Pharisees) is this one (Matthew 23:4) : 

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 

Christian woman, don't get caught up in thinking that because someone else does something a certain way that you must emulate her form!

Focus on the heart...  if you find someone you look up to, imitate what is godly about her heart... her motivations... her character.  But eschew ways of thinking that would convince you that you need to follow and subscribe to the specific details of someone else's life (the curriculum she uses, the time or method of her Bible study, the cleaning schedule she follows, her convictions about intimacy/ food/ birth control/ etc.).

LARGE FAMILY THOUGHTS: Mom of Five, and Pregnant For the Ninth Time

:)  Even starting this post, I feel a sense of pressure- I want to express myself clearly, but not hurt the heart of the woman facing infertility, and not criticize or sit in judgment of the mom of two.

I want to share some of the blessings of having a large family, and not come across as if I don't count the cost.  I want to share some of the challenges and not scare away women who are already hearing fearful messages about motherhood from culture.  But I'll just do the best I can, and trust God to use this sharing for good in your heart and mine, and for His glory.

I want to share what God has taught me, how He has changed me, and how the landscape around me has changed, as our family has grown.


Please read this as a personal tome and not as a prescriptive tutorial.

A LARGE FAMILY?
When we married, we knew that we would be large-family weirdos.  :)

Well, let me take that back... I had been told by my gynecologist at age 16 that I had poly-cystic ovaries and would have difficulty getting pregnant, and might not even be able to have children.  Doug knew that going in.  So we knew there might be obstacles.


But still, we talked about large families and having lots of children, and both of us were "in" for that vision before we married.  We weren't super-spiritual people... by that I mean, we didn't have outward vestiges of holiness.  I'd dated around and been reckless and rebellious for years of my life (in ways I now regret), and he was a hippie artist from a divorced family who drove a VW camper van.  While we were both genuinely children of God, we were singed and scarred from having the majority of our worldview influenced by the world and culture around us.

Somehow, though, we both loved children and both loved Scripture and entered marriage with hearts open to the possibility of having lots of children.  Whenever we expressed that shared desire to people, we got a lot of responses like, "yeah, just wait until you have one or two...", which made me sad.  It is truly sad that Christian people try to dampen the vision and desires God puts on the heart of two young people.


Nonetheless, despite our open hearts, God had a lot of self-importance and career-idolatry (both for me, with politics, and for Doug, with painting) to move out of our hearts, which he did in those early years, and still does from time to time (just last week, I had this daydream of being a Senator...).  :)

BABY #1
Jumping ahead to parenthood, to move the story along, after a difficult first baby labor and delivery, and after deciding to stay home with him, I purposed to enjoy every single minute with Ethan.  And I really did.  At his first birthday party, I remember reflecting back and being so thankful that I'd tried to listen to the wisdom of older moms: "take time to enjoy him; they grow so fast!" The biggest lesson of that first baby was that it's not about me... everything took longer and I had a different body and different life than I'd had going into it, but when I welcomed the newness and reveled in the changes, seeking wisdom as needed, there was inexpressible joy.  


Focusing outward (on others) rather than inward (on myself) was a wonderfully freeing change of attitude.  I still was a crummy housekeeper and a terrible cook, but I was learning some things about being a loving wife & mom.

BABY #2
Soon I was pregnant with Baxter, and he too was a welcomed blessing in our lives and hearts.  New lessons came with him: with a natural delivery and immediate breastfeeding (which I wasn't able to do with Ethan, as he had been whisked away to the NICU for a week) came an influx of hormones and attachment/bonding that I hadn't experienced so easily with Ethan.  There were so many physical and hormonal benefits that I hadn't known the first time around.  I internalized the truth that God made our bodies to work so wonderfully!  

I also began learning about prioritizing needs, as all moms of more than one inevitably have to learn. :)

MISCARRIAGES
When Baxter was about a year old, I got pregnant again, only to start bleeding about 2 days later.  It was an early miscarriage-- the kind that doctor's offices irreverently term "chemical pregnancies".  Thankfully, by this point, God had firmly convinced Doug and I of His good sovereignty, and I felt certain, even in the midst of the physical process of miscarrying, that God would give us the children He meant for us to have.  I still believe that.  That does not mean I didn't hurt, but I really did have a quiet confidence in God's goodness despite present circumstances.


The next month, to our surprise, I was pregnant again.  5 days later, I miscarried yet again.  People around me thought I was crazy, I think, for not being uncontrollably emotional about these two losses, but I held fast to confidence in God.  I knew He had not abandoned me and would make something beautiful of this. 

BABY #3
The next month, I got pregnant with our beautiful Maranatha.

No one questioned our decision to get pregnant for a third time.  I think it seemed natural to people; "oh, you finally got your girl."  We'd smile and think, "Lord willing, we're not stopping here, but thank you."  :)

While pregnant with her, we packed up our home, sold most everything we owned, and moved to the opposite side of the world, to China.  She was born in Thailand.

Having a daughter certainly gave me a different sense of responsibility as a woman than I'd previously experienced, with the boys.

I felt that I needed to understand what the Bible teaches about being a woman even better, that I needed to be a godly example for my daughter, not only of personal holiness, but of grace and kindness.  The Bible talks of a "gentle and quiet spirit" and I'd always seen myself as having a forceful, passionate, and loud spirit, LOL.  I needed to be able to help her understand how to navigate the natural biological functions of womanhood, the biblical roles of womanhood, and our culture's views of women.  I began thinking and reading about these things more.  This blog was started, in a large part, because of my grappling with these things as I strove to understand what God means for women, regardless of culture, and what God means for Christian women, here in this culture.


During this time, too, Doug got sick.  The LORD taught us so much about suffering, problems, and pain.  We learned to trust Him when we were smack-dab in the middle of a season of suffering.  We did not know how it was going to end, but we grew dependent on the LORD.


BABY #4
That summer, as things leveled out with Doug's health, we moved to Istanbul and found out the same week that we were expecting Silas, our little stowaway.  :)

Reactions to this pregnancy were decidedly different than I'd experienced before.  Friends were excited but still asked, "so this was a surprise, right?"  Relatives' reactions ranged from pleasant to "oh no!" and "Well, if you're happy about it, then congratulations."  Having a 4th baby seemed so intentional, I guess.  :)  So much like embracing insanity.  :)  So "in your face"... like deliberately choosing something so unnecessary.  But we looked at the precious smiles, and sweet moments with each of our 3 unique children and knew that God was right-- children are truly a wonderful blessing.

While these were some of the most tender and sweet days, I admittedly was entering what would be the most difficult season of my life thus far.  In a small apartment, in a new culture, without language skills, with four children 6 and under, my days were mostly eaten up with physical tasks- tying shoes, making chicken spaghetti, breastfeeding, picking up army men, changing diapers, putting on coats, pouring cups of milk, snuggling.

My blog became to me a place to outpour all of the thoughts I'd stored up through each day (this was 2007-2008).

Even in the midst of wonderful times with our children, I faced personal discouragement, and when two old friends came to visit me (separately), I realized how much I had changed, though I still couldn't express in what ways I was different.  I was grappling with how to lovingly train my children, cutting anger out of my heart, my role in and out (?) of our home, choosing contentment, and learning hospitality.  Living overseas, despite the fact that we were often hosting large groups in our home, loneliness and isolation were real and present concerns in my life at that time.  OH, how I longed for a good friend.


I read and felt the truth of Isaiah 40:11: "He gently leads those who are with young."  God looks at those who are with young through gentle, tender eyes, and He knows we are made of dust.  I took to heart His kindness, and grew more dependent upon Him.

God's Word became more precious to me, and God used all these struggles to break me of my sense of pride and self-reliance.  I hadn't realized it before, but I had skated through my early years of child-rearing in my own strength.  I gave cursory nods to God in prayer or by trying to apply Scripture, but I still carried it all out in my own strength, confident in my own abilities.  During this time of struggle, God showed me how much I had taken glory in my own talents and strength.  He stripped me of the sense that I had it all together.  And I thank Him for it... I still work to not fall back into the thought pattern of self-reliance.

ANOTHER MISCARRIAGE
When Silas was about a year old, we learned that we were expecting again, when we were about 2 weeks out from a move.  Thankfully, a moving company came to pack and physically move our belongings, so I didn't have to lift things, etc., but it was still a stressful, unsettled time.

I believe it was the day after our move that I began miscarrying, at about 7 weeks along, 2 weeks farther along than our other miscarriages had been.  Certainly this was more difficult, emotionally, as I'd   had more time to get excited about the baby coming.  But physically, it was much more difficult than the previous 2 miscarriages.  I was spent, utterly exhausted.  Silas was still nursing many times a day, I was homeschooling Ethan, taking Turkish language lessons, and I had a house to unpack and organize, and new neighbors to meet.

Here is where God ministered to me through my husband.

We had previously thought through various stances concerning birth control, and come to the belief that in general, for us, fertility and family should be our default position.  Biologically (generally speaking), God has given women a long window of fertility, and he has put our hormonal levels of desire at the very point in our cycle when we are most fertile.  It seems straightfoward to us that God set it up so we would (on the whole) be fruitful.

However, unlike what some people call a "quiverfull" mentality, we also believe that we are to be thoughtful stewards of our bodies, souls, and families, like anything else.  He who starts building a tower without considering the cost is reckless.  Doug Wilson comes the closest to explaining our point of view in this article, which is similar to how a farmer views stewardship of the fruitfulness on his land: BIRTH CONTROL.  (My favorite quote: "A man can have a high view of apple trees and still not plant them a foot and a half apart in his orchard.") Children are wonderful, AND we are stewards.  Consider carefully, AND trust God.  Both/And.  Anyway, moving on...

At that time when I felt used up, post-miscarriage, mid-move, and with four children six and under, Doug "lived with his wife in an understanding way."  He determined that we would take measures to prevent pregnancy for a time-- both to allow my body to rest and heal, but also to allow me the opportunity I'd not ever had-- to nurse a baby for as long as both he and I desired to do so (after my two miscarriages while nursing Baxter, I'd always weaned ASAP once I found out I was pregnant).  We made it to 18 months, when Silas began weaning, and I enjoyed about a 6-month "rest" (though I know to some people that sounds absurd-- that with four children, and a nursing baby, I was resting, nevertheless, and at the end of those six months, I felt like a new woman).


Through Doug's love for me, understanding my heart, and meeting my needs, I saw another picture of Christ loving the Church, tending to her, caring for her, protecting her in her weakness.   He loved me and cared for me and it fed my soul and allowed us to steward what God had given us well.

BABY #5
We prayerfully decided to again be open to children, and like a true "Fertile Myrtle" :), I got pregnant with Moses.  This time was different.  Pressures of life overseas, limitations of living in an apartment, the expense of traveling (either for vacation or to see family), the weight of childrearing without any support from a nearby family member or friend willing to occasionally help lift the load... we knew something would have to give, and for the first time, I experienced pregnancy considering the possibility that it might be the last.

Even with painfully sharp ligament spasms, and normal pregnancy "ailments", I sought to again enjoy every part of it-- the first flutters, the full-on kicks, the sonograms, the labor, and the delivery... and I did.  Someday I'll write about my last 3 labor experiences; I intended to years ago, and should do so soon.  My labor with and delivery of Moses was quite different from all the others.

Anyway, he was such a precious addition to our family, and for the first time, really, I got to experience some of the absolute outright joys of large family life.

First of all- people didn't criticize us anymore (namely, those same relatives who had rude comments the 4th time around), at least not to our faces. :)  Maybe they finally realized we were going to do what we were going to do without considering their disdain or disapproval of our "choices", and so they began embracing each personality as individual and began seeing us as a unique family, too... not just a carbon copy of theirs, and not something to be compared or contrasted to theirs... just unique.

But what was most overwhelmingly new about this time was that our older two boys-- eight and six years old-- really began entering in to the enjoyment of baby Moses in a new way.

Instead of solely being like a small young sibling, just asking when they would be able to play, and learning to help by bringing diapers and such, they actually began saying things like, "mom, did you see the way he scrunches up his cheeks when he smiles?"  Or, "oh, mom, he's so cute; I can't imagine a cuter baby in the whole world."  Or, "have you seen him _______?"  They began interacting with him in ways that previously only Doug and I had done-- they were able to see and watch him every day and relate to him more like how we as adults related to him- doting on him, noticing all his cute details, treasuring moments of just holding and snuggling this newborn baby as the unique times that they are.

It was amazing to us to see how much they loved him, how much he meant to them.  Truly, it softened and shaped their hearts in a way that surprised me.  There was something decidedly different about having older children around with a newborn than there had been about having a bunch of little ones close together.  Though that had been fun and special in its own right, this was even better.  I began to see how God has designed for us to learn about and know about family life... I knew Ethan and Baxter would be better fathers for having experienced the delight and wonder of Moses as a newborn.

WHAT ELSE WAS/AM I LEARNING?
In bullet-point form, here are a few things:

• to embrace and accept the chaos of daily life
• that messes are made very fast, and pile up quickly, in a large family
• that messes are cleaned up quickly and easily, when we all work together, in a large family
• to enjoy moments of quiet but not feed in my heart an unhealthy appetite for them (i.e., "me-time")
• to depend on the LORD and look to Him for guidance and trust that He will give it
• to rest in God, looking to Him as the source of acceptance in my life, and not expect it or look for it from other humans
• to care for my own soul, being a godly steward of it
• that children really are a blessing.  Each of our children brings something so special to our family life (Ethan- curiosity, enthusiasm, and wonder, Baxter- hilarity, acceptance of others, and softhearted faithful friendship, Maranatha- artistry, tenderness, and passion, Silas- our funny, sensitive, snuggly little squishball :), and Moses- the baby who we are all convinced is the most precious in the world), and we truly can't (and wouldn't want to!) imagine life without them.  Each personality God has brought into our family's life has enriched each of us and added color and joy to our family.  
• Each child does not just "add" to the love in our family- they multiply the love, as we each develop a new relationship with this new person.  When we married, there was one relationship in our home-- the one between Doug & I.  With the addition of Ethan, there were 3 relationships-- with Doug & I, Doug & Ethan, and Ethan & I.  With the addition of this 6th baby, there will be 28 relationships going on (simultaneously!) in our home.  That is a lot of love, a lot of learning, a lot of sanctification, a lot of relationship.  So many opportunities to experience love, seek & express forgiveness, learn to understand others' perspectives, serve one another.  I praise God for this!
• that I am not going to be magically "zapped" with biblical wisdom and insight-- if I am going to be a wise and godly woman, wife, mother, and friend, it will come with discipline and purpose on my part, as I yield to God, letting Him instruct my heart.
• that my role as the wife & mom in a large family will only be eternally successful if I quit relying on my own strength and yet, as unto the LORD, purposefully grow in skill and wisdom, walking in the Spirit, and trusting God for the outcome.

And there is more, but I'll stop there, for now.  Except to say this:

EXPECTING #6

We are pregnant for the ninth time.  :)  We hope to meet our newest little "valentine" next February.  The kids are so so so thrilled (all of them!).  

I am (more than ever) aware of my own frailty and limitations, and yet, (more than ever) aware and completely confident in God's goodness in giving always and only what is good, and what will bring glory to Him.  I am so thankful that He is going to root out even more of the selfishness that resides in my heart.  God truly does sanctify us through childbearing.  I am so grateful that He will teach our children more about love, kindness, gentleness, patience, self-control, and more, through this new baby.  

I am so excited to meet him or her, and just as each of our children has done, to see how our family will be changed by this new person.  God has been so gracious to us, and never stops pursuing our good as He seeks to make us more like Jesus.  When we yield to Him, and walk in the Spirit, He is so good to do amazing things in our hearts and families.

I thank Him here and now for what He's doing in our family, and pray that this has encouraged your heart.

Show & Tell: Links You May Have Missed

On Wednesday of last week, we closed on our new house (yay!) and so we're in the thick of packing, arranging appointments with painters, locksmiths, etc., and expecting our crate from Istanbul to (hopefully) be delivered sometime this week (another yay!).  In lieu of my normal sharing of random thoughts or recent Bible studies, I thought I'd link up to all the Making Home posts that have been making their way around Pinterest.  (Here are my Pinterest boards, if you're interested.)

I hope you enjoy looking through these old links; I'm going to be enjoying literally "Making Home" for the first time in a while.  :)

• Sustaining Contentment-- Fighting for joy in hard/difficult/humdrum times
• Biblical Descriptions of Mothers-- I compiled significant/insightful descriptions of mothers found in the Bible
• Get Yourself Dressed!-- Growing more mature as a believer
• Being Sexy For Your Husband-- A 5-part series to encourage you in your marital intimacy
• "Me Time"?-- Examining selfishness, avoiding burnout, and considering Jesus' example
• Let The Words Tumble Out-- Sometimes you just have to start praying and the words will come.
• Seek Wise Counsel-- proactively pursue the advice of more experienced believers!
• Contentment vs. Discontentedness-- Psalm 16 & the opposite of Psalm 16 give a clarifying, convicting picture of what contentment looks like
• Feeding Your Baby the First Week-- My experiences with baby #5
• Make Your Own Baby Wipes-- an easy and economical option
• Tips for Dealing With Mastitis-- a somewhat common malady for breastfeeding moms
• Coaching Your Kids Through Doctor's Visits-- tips to help them cope well
• Is "Mommy Guilt" Normal?-- discerning God's conviction vs. unhelpful guilt
• How Expected Birth Control Use Affects Our Culture-- surprisingly, one of my most popular posts
• My Real-Life Proverbs 31 Friend-- this post about being "busy at home" was a recent one but has already been "pinned" for encouragement on Pinterest.  

Hope you find something encouraging or thought-provoking from this list of oldies.  :)  Have a great week, and I'll see ya when I see ya.

The Word, Godly Counsel, and Personal Discernment

Just yesterday, I got an e-mail like many I've received over the years...

• Do you think it's OK for a mom to work part-time?
• Can my husband and I engage in oral sex?
• Is it OK for a Christian couple to watch ____(a particular movie or TV show)____?
• Should a Christian couple use birth control? What kinds?
• Should we buy a Mac or PC?

OK, I made that last one up.

SEEKING COUNSEL IS WISE, NOT WRONG

Let me say, I understand and affirm the desire to seek counsel and input from people you know or trust. Proverbs says again and again in various ways that it is wise to seek counsel. In life, it is extremely likely that we will encounter situations where we don't initially know what to do, and where Scripture seems to not clearly outline one decision or another. We all reach out and want input when we hit situations or decisions that we feel uncertain about, or that the Bible doesn't explicitly talk about... so I'm not condemning the desire for input, and certainly not pointing the finger at those who have written to me.

But I do want to share some thoughts from the sermon we heard today at church. I think these are helpful ideas as we think about issues of conscience.

CAN I DO THIS?

#1- Listen to God's Word

When we consider if we can do a particular thing, we should always --first-- be counseled by God's Word. Jesus Christ is our master, not men.

The pastor pointed out this morning the two ideas, held in tension, that:

• we are under grace, and
• a child of God is not free to indulge in sin.

Both are true. We are no longer under the law, and yet we are to have hearts fully submitted to God. Our "law" is love for Christ, and it constrains us to obey Him, and to love others.

#2- Be sensitive to the weaker conscience of other believers.

The second thing he said was to be considerate of the weaknesses of others.

Here is the interesting part of this portion of scripture (Romans 14): throughout this chapter, the one who is free is the stronger brother. The one who is bound by his convictions or conscience is the one who is considered "weaker" in this passage. So if we feel free to wear tank tops, go to public schools, drink wine, send a daughter to college ... basically, indulge in any disputable/non-eternal activity that is not explicitly written in Scripture one way or another... that is fine, but we are not to seek to condemn the constraints/restrictions of another person's convictions.

"By your freedom, don't destroy your brother for whom Christ died."

So if we feel free to watch a particular movie or TV show, that may be fine, but we ought not flaunt that in front of a couple who has very strict boundaries set for themselves in the area of entertainment.

A Few Clarifying Questions:

Finally, he offered these questions for the believer who is evaluating a particular issue or idea.

1. Does this violate God's commands or God's Word?
2. Can I offer thanks to God while I do this activity?
3. Would I do this if Jesus was physically here with me?
4. Can I do it in faith? (Romans 14 says whatever is not of faith is sin.)

I think these are helpful, clarifying questions. Again, different genuinely Christian couples/individuals may come to different conclusions on the same issue, even with these questions.

The Bible says we will each give an answer to God, that we will each give an account of our lives, so we should not go against our own conscience. Scripture also says that wives are each to submit to their own husbands. So I don't need to submit to your husband's personal convictions, and you don't need to submit to my husband's, but we do each need to submit to our own husbands. This is where it can be problematic offering advice/input openly in a blog or website setting. It's a fine line to try to walk, to be transparent in sharing personal stories or convictions, whilst always upholding the authority of Scripture, and freedom in Christ for others to be constrained by Scripture & the Spirit inside each believer-- not by the words of some random blogger or author.

I love to encourage women to seek God and love Scripture... and am happy to correspond with other women via e-mail... but I pray that my words will never constrain where Scripture frees, or loose where Scripture constrains.

God be with us all as we seek to be discerning, wise women!

Whatever's on my mind...

We've had a slew of things happen in the last month or so to keep me offline, from coming back to Texas, to getting settled (and all that that entails), to meeting up with friends old and new, to the 7+ day saga of getting our computer gutted and back in the saddle, to, well, the beautiful blue sky and green grass of Texas beckoning us to come out and play, go for walks, picnics, and take pictures. :)

But I'm back, anyway. And my thoughts are swirling... here's a few samplings of the things on my mind:

• How God leads us. Sometimes we sense a very clear "DO THIS!" about a particular decision or specific direction in life. I felt this way about where to attend college, moving overseas, and homeschooling. Other times it seems that God gives us a wide open road with several options. I don't know how it all works out... I trust that He is sovereign, and that He knows all, and that He guides His children. Sometimes it just boils down to trusting Him and taking the next step.
• Can't believe Moses is 9 months old! Seems like he was just born. Sounds cliche, but I guess it feels this way no matter how many times you experience it.
• Food here doesn't taste as good to me as I expected it to. Granted, I'm still eating it, but it's just not as "WOW" as I thought every blissful bite would be. Maybe it's because I've cooked from scratch now for nearly 5 years and my tastebuds have adjusted to fresh foods? But jarred-sauces (even the fancy-sounding ones) just can't compare to fresh chopped tomatoes, garlic, and basil... and open-pop-biscuits are nowhere near as fabulous as homemade cream biscuits. Still, I was looking forward to all of these flavors, and so far the only ones that have lived up to my expectations have been Blue Bell, Chipotle, and Red Robin.
• Oh how I love the library! Free! Just a few blocks away! Books everywhere! And even DVDs! I'm enjoying taking the kids a couple times each week.
• The No-S Diet is still going great. I'm down 3 pounds from what I was a couple weeks ago. On average, now that I'm not just holding my weight (like I did while I was in just-arrived-back-in-TX-eat-everything-delicious-that-you-possibly-can mode) I'm losing about 1 pound per week. More than that, I'm noticing that my personal self-control has grown, and that I'm really, honestly, content with how much (how little?) I'm eating now. I eat good-sized meals throughout the week, and enjoy treats on the weekends. It's simple, and makes good sense. As I've said before, I hope to eat like this the rest of my life. I feel like I have a healthier attitude towards food & sweets than I've ever had before (and I've never been one with an eating disorder, etc., just never exercised much self-control in this area). This feels great.
• Couponing is incredible. INCREDIBLE! It is crazy how inexpensively we can feed our family here, and how conveniently... now, I will say, I'm having to be more intentional about eating well, because of the difference in the quality of produce... but the toiletries, convenience foods, and disposable goods that we can get for a fraction of the cost is amazing. I'm following "CouponMom"'s system (free), and greatly enjoying the benefits.
• I'm currently reading Wendy Shalit's "Girls Gone Mild"... what a thought-provoking, culture-exposing book! Her thoughts on how the current sexual climate among college students & young professionals works (or rather, doesn't work) knocks some heavy blows to the ideas of feminism and "liberation". Have you read it?
• Monogamy is so incredibly freeing. Reading the book I just mentioned has just made me all the more thankful for a joyful, safe, and fun marriage bed! What a headache to constantly fret and wonder about presenting oneself in the best light, worrying about sexual issues (STDs, birth control, how to do x to satisfy your new lover, etc.), and more. How freeing and wonderful to be in a love relationship, walking side by side, where each romantic encounter is somehow different and unique and yet familiar and comforting! How precious it is to be in a God-centered marriage!

I anticipate that I'll be back to writing again soon- more than just the "7 Quick Takes" variety I've been doing lately-- as there are lots of thoughts swirling right now. Anything on your mind?

Show & Tell: Links Aplenty!

I've got a lot of interesting links for you this time... and this is the pared-down list. :) I deleted at least 15-20 links that I had stored up to share, just so that it wouldn't be so very overwhelming... still, it's a hefty list. And I'm going to take this opportunity to share some recent pics of my kiddos-- because I can. :)

So let's get started. Click, read, learn, be challenged, laugh, and enjoy!

FOLLOWING CHRIST

• Stephen Baldwin's Video Testimony: "I Am Second"
• Some "One Another"s you won't find in the Bible.
• Tired? Worn to a frazzle? Perhaps you could incorporate a more intentional "Sabbath rest" into your life.
• This has always been something that drives me crazy too-- self-centered praise music (talk about a contradiction! )
• Here's the 2009 list of the most persecuted countries around the world
• Jesus said not "if", but "when you fast"
• Some easy ways to make yourself miserable.
• Here's a bio of my favorite author, Randy Alcorn: The Pastor Without a Paycheck

IN THE HOME

• Do you know about using Vicks Vaporub on the soles of feet to combat colds? It works for us!
• Note to Teens: Do Hard Things
• An online friend wrote in and shared about her very honest & encouraging new online marriage resource: Christian Marriage Today
  
• Here's a great word about teaching our children to be content.
• Laura has a great section of her blog (and now, it appears, a new blog) focused on helpful kitchen tips! Check it out-- she shares thoughts on maintaining a useful pantry, staying organized, shopping wisely, and more.
• Terry shared her great thoughts about the importance of parents having a long-term vision for their children.
• Sonlight curriculum is known for its amazing book selections... and The Well-Trained Mind is known as an excellent classical education method. This very helpful list combines both methods into a 4-year cycle of excellent books, grouped according to comprehension/grade levels.
• You all may know I love to follow, pray for, rejoice with, and learn from adoption stories. This one is instructive, raw, and a beautiful picture of grace & love in action.
• A detailed example of true love

RANDOM, BUT INTERESTING, READING

• Theories about what happened to the ten lost tribes of Israel. This link is to the first of a 3-part article, so be sure to click on to read the other 2 parts... very interesting to think about! (I think the 3rd part-- about Japan & Ethiopia-- is the most fascinating.)
• Here's something I didn't know: Obama carries the idol of a Hindu god in his pocket.
• How does a secular scientist become a believer in creation according to the Bible?
• Thoughts from another mom searching out biblical truth and God's will concerning birth control & family size.
• Juan Williams says Judge Obama on Performance. In this honeymoon season where many clearly believe he can do no wrong, this is excellent advice.
• An older Christian woman shares very relevant and helpful thoughts about weight, eating, and "healthy self-image".
• Wanna raise chickens in your backyard? Friends tell me this is the best resource on the matter. Feel free to share more in the comments section.

ABORTION: Inform yourself!

• They Paused. One woman's experience as a sidewalk counselor at an abortion clinic.
• Former abortion clinic manager shares how she became pro-life.
• What happens to the body parts and little bodies of the murdered babies?

MAKE SOMETHING!

• Make your own Taco Seasoning. Rave reviews and a recommendation from Terry @ Breathing Grace (I'm pretty sure). Once I run out of my stock, I'm trying this one.
• Here are some fascinating ways to use old plastic bags: You can fuse them into a durable & sewable material. Here's a link with lots of info and several helpful how-to videos. Use the material to make a cloth shopping bag or purse. Here's a FAQ about safety for these projects. This sounds like an inventive & potentially beautiful way to recycle those gazillion bags that pile up under the kitchen counter, in the pantry, etc.

GOOD FOR A LAUGH

• I hope no one takes offense to this-- it just totally cracked me up to hear about this blog recently: This is Why You're Fat. It's a chronicle of artery-clogging foods. (Thanks Barbara!)
• Shannon shared a very funny video about large families.

HAPPY READING!!!

A Rare Sighting, Almost Extinct: The Large Family

Just came across this article about large families today... and wanted to share a portion of it with you.

In 1976, census data show, 59 percent of women ages 40 to 44 had three or more children, 20 percent had five or more and 6 percent had seven or more.
By 2006, four decades after the Supreme Court declared a constitutional right to use birth control (and the last year available from census studies), 28 percent of women ages 40 to 44 had three or more children, 4 percent had five or more and just 0.5 percent had seven or more.

Quite a massive decline. I don't think I've ever seen these statistics.

“Three is still O.K.,” said Michelle Lehmann, the founder of lotsofkids.com and a mother of eight children who lives outside Chicago. “When you have four, people start raising eyebrows. When you go to five, people are like, ‘No way.’ ”
Beyond 10? “They think you are lying,” said Mrs. Gunnip, who also writes two blogs for so-called mega-families, those with eight or more children.

It's sad to me that what has been normal for centuries is now seen as freakish... regardless, the numbers are interesting.

2009 Books Finished List

Here's a list of the books I read in 2009, complete with my thoughts about it, and a link:

1. Ephesians- (The Apostle Paul) - after visiting Ephesus in December, it was particularly interesting for me to consider what it would have been like for a believer then, walking around in that city, mulling this new letter that had arrived from Paul, and trying to apply it to life. I particularly love how this text gives us specifics about how to live as the Body of Christ... it's challenging and convicting and instructive.
2. Abortion the Silent Holocaust - (John J. Powell) - excellent book that uses the eugenics/evaluation of "who's worthy of life?" mentality that existed during the reign of Nazi Germany to understand and analyze the current acceptance and support of abortion. A Jesuit priest who worked as a hospital chaplain and other interesting posts, Powell shares his personal experiences of life and death and intertwines them with his analysis of abortion and where it will lead for the culture that sits idly by while innocent people die in their midst. EXCELLENT book-- very sobering and in some ways, depressing-- but it is a righteous depression, I think, that he brings about in his penetrating discussion of this tragic topic. Click here to read my extended review of this book.
3. Lamentations - (Jeremiah?*) - This is not just a book that gives words to very deep grief, sorrow, and shame (as you would expect from the title), although it does accomplish this with mournful specificity. My favorite part of this book is how God is shown as sovereign and wholly wise in His dealings with men... even in the hard times. And how, even in the midst of depression and sorrow, God is the rightful resting place for our hope and faith. (*-authorship not expressly stated in the book, but authorship is traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah)
4. Women Who Make the World Worse : and How Their Radical Feminist Assault Is Ruining Our Schools, Families, Military, and Sports - (Kate O'Beirne) - Good book; easy, fun read. I found her analysis of feminism to be quite helpful in exposing the basic lies, hypocrisy, and ironies of the doctrines of feminism. My favorite thing about the book is that O'Beirne is extremely well researched. She brings out skads of sources and studies and lays the truth bare, showing how so many of the claims of feminism have been completely dumped on their heads. If you're interested in debunking the basic tenets of feminism, or just want to see what wrong ideas feminism has injected into the minds of this last generation of Americans, get this book.
5. HINDS' FEET ON HIGH PLACES (DELUXE CHRISTIAN CLASSICS) - (Hannah Hurnard) - Excellent allegory of the deeper Christian life. This book came at a pivotal time for me and has challenged me and given me imagery to describe many of the things I've faced recently. It is very visual and descriptive, which normally is off-putting to me, but was very helpful for instructing about and fleshing out certain aspects of the Christian walk. Why do Christians face so much sorrow and suffering? Why does God ask us to sacrifice things that are precious to us? Why is the way so clouded and unclear at certain times? This book delves into these things in a very understandable and challenging way. I highly recommend it.
6. Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God - (Noel Piper) - This is a very encouraging, challenging, and easy-to-read book. Piper examines the lives of five Christian women (Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Rosaveare) over the last few centuries and encourages us with their faithfulness, their foibles, and the way God showed Himself faithful to them. This relatively small book can be quickly read and I believe it will be an encouragement and challenge to all who open its pages.
7. Mark - (John Mark) - What a delight it is to read about Jesus. After a month of studying Lamentations, I needed it. :) Mark focuses in on Jesus' miracles, and shows the way that the people around Him just didn't get it. I was encouraged as I read through to note how often even the disciples did not understand what was being said, as Jesus' responses show me that He'll be patient with me too, knowing that I am but a weak vessel made of dust. I love the way that Mark just tells the stories of Jesus. My desire to know Christ more has both been met and been increased throughout this month of reading through the book of Mark.
8. A Celebration of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God's Gift of Sexual Intimacy - (Douglas Rosenau) - I decided to read this book because it was highly recommended by Mark Driscoll. While I have some misgivings (one in particular: he talks about birth control very flippantly and brushes off what are clearly significant ethical problems with hormonal birth control methods), I found this book to be very thorough, and even despite my concerns, recommend it for virtually any Christian couple. He deals very carefully with specifics and offers very basic and very advanced detailed information for couples who need guidance in the beginning of a marriage, advice about specific problem areas (he addresses a wide range of potential problems), and encouragement in the area of intimacy. I have not seen such a helpful book that so very pointedly celebrates marital sex, written from both a Christian and a clinical perspective. This book is for both the newlyweds and the long-married among us; I believe it would encourage, inform, and/or assist any and all Christian couples in this area of intimacy.
9. A Biblical Home Education: Building Your Homeschool on the Foundation of God's Word - (Ruth Beechick) - This book outlined some new-to-me ideas, and expanded on Dr. Beechick's ideas on homeschooling, which I'd already read in many other places. Much of the book was re-hashing (for me), so I can't say it was anything incredibly insightful for me as a mom already a few years into homeschooling. BUT! If I was a new homeschool mom, trying to really get a feel for what is *necessary*, what some of my basic goals ought to be and what school should "look like", I think this book would be quite helpful. She does outline how to base your curriculum on the foundation of God's Word and offers some helpful critiques of each homeschooling "philosophy" out there. I enjoyed the book, and have dogeared a few pages for follow-up from me. I would be hesitant to recommend this book to a seasoned homeschooler, but for the mom with preschoolers or in her first few years of homeschooling, this can be an excellent vision-shaping book.
10. The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World, Second Edition - (Nawal El Saadawi) - This book, written by an Arab feminist (which is an interesting designation, to be sure), is insightful to the worldview of conservative Muslims in the Middle East. She shares from personal experience and offers anecdotal evidence as she paints a very eye-opening picture that highlights severe differences between Western and Arab worldviews. Much of her book is based on and even devotes pages to outlining basic feminist theology. Feminism is the same the world over-- belittling a woman's role in the home, equating marriage to slavery, and blaming all the world's problems (and certainly all of women's problems) on men. Nonetheless, this is an interesting book because of its unique perspective and the subject matter which is difficult to hear about firsthand. I found myself often having to try to cut through the hype of individual stories (that seemed designed an chosen in order to shock and incite anger, rather than to inform) to get the basic themes of the Arab mindset. Nonetheless, I found this to be a helpful book for understanding the general roles and acceptable activities and characteristics of the average Arab woman, particularly those that are in Muslim-ruled nations. (*NOTE: This book was not on my 40-book list. I'm a rebel like that.)
11. Esther - (Unknown authorship) - It was interesting to re-read this book at roughly the same time as the previous book... it gave me new insights to consider in greater depth the cultures (Persian/Babylonian) that contributed to the worldview of the modern Arab. I love the way God's fingerprints in moving people, shaping events, and causing His ultimate will to occur are so very obvious in this book. This book gives us the final historical picture of the world prior to Christ's return that we'll find in the Bible. God is still active and moving among His people, and yet they are in captivity, not able to identify openly with their God, and inwardly crying out for their Messiah. It's incredible to consider how God continually, throughout history-- and still today-- uses the lowly and the humble to bring about His purposes in the world. Esther offers us a picture of a beautiful woman, inside and out, who, while strong and resilient, affects the world around her by submitting to the authorities God brought into her life, staying steadfastly devoted to her Lord through prayer and fasting, and by listening more to even the quiet voices of the faithful people God has placed in her life rather than the noisy and imposing culture around her.
12. The Fruit of Her Hands: Respect and the Christian Woman - (Nancy Wilson) - This small booklet (at less than 100 pages of actual text, it's an easy read) is packed with challenging words and food for thought for Christian women, married & single alike. She accurately pinpoints what the perspective of the "modern" American women is on topics such as femininity, submission to one's own husband, motherhood, and marriage. Wilson honestly and poignantly shows the wisdom of Scripture that tells older woman to be in a position of mentoring towards younger women. She lays out why women should be students of the Word and understand theology. Naturally, she discusses the importance of respect (as the title suggests) in the marriage relationship, but a convicting area for me was her treatment of the topic of discretion and courtesy when discussing personal things. [Sidethought: I do wonder how this topic might be balanced a bit if we could peek in on the relationships of women in extended generational families, with their midwifery skills, menstruation tents, and communal interdependency, as was more common in biblical times. It seems a stretch to me that biblical texts saying that we should not run from house to house (which imply gossip and futile busy-ness to me) can then be taken to mean that we should not discuss intimate or private things among close women friends. But this is a side issue for me, just one I'm thinking through.] Her treatment of sexual intimacy in marriage was refreshing; it is rare (for me) to find a woman who is both biblical in her treatment of the marriage relationship and biblical in her treatment of sex; Wilson does this well. In whole, I found the book challenging... again and again, the theme of this little work is "Know Scripture", and "Respect your husband". Good words for any wife to hear reiterated, methinks.
13. Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message - (Ravi Zacharias) - This book was a difficult read for me; I had to keep myself motivated to continue plodding through. It was helpful in a few areas, but it was not what I thought it was... namely, a primer on comparative religious philosophies. It is a methodical explanation of some of the philosophical disagreements between other faiths and Christianity, but it is not a comprehensive approach to understanding differences, nor does it offer an apologetic approach for dialoguing with or about other faiths. The most moving and inspiring portion, as well as the most convincing, was his chapter about the origins of moral behavior and why only a theistic view fully explains our innate sense of right and wrong. This seemingly-chaotic book has some helpful nuggets of truth and insight, but one must be prepared to look for the beautiful arguments and points amongst an abundance of words and lengthy treatments.
14. 1/2 of Trauma Room One: The JFK Medical Coverup Exposed - (Charles Crenshaw) - I read the half that was available for free on google reader. :) This doctor claims that the wounds he saw 45 years ago in the 1st-response treatment room of President Kennedy at Parkland Hospital after the assassination do not match what was reported/released about the wounds that killed the President. This is a very entertaining book; he highlights interesting points in the middle of what is already a very engaging and emotional story. Still, by the end of the book (at least, the portion I read) I can't tell how pivotal of a role Dr. Crenshaw actually had inside the trauma room with JFK. If you're interested in the JFK assassination, this book provides a unique perspective that is worth the reading.
16. The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town - (John Grisham) - This, like every other Grisham book I've ever read (which is nearly all of them), is highly engaging and thought-provoking. When we meet Ron Williamson, the central figure of the book, he's a young man with a promising baseball career in his future. As his hopes for a baseball career spiral out of his grasp, his mental health deteriorates to the point that he ends up living with his mom, sleeping half the day, and sitting on the couch for the rest of it. When a woman that lives in his same section of town turns up murdered, Ron Williamson, though he has no real connection to the case, becomes the prime suspect. Wrongful accusation, dirty cops, mental illness, small town life, life on death row, the death penalty, and more are all topics that Grisham tackles in this first non-fiction novel. I highly enjoyed it.
17. What to Do on Thursday: A Layman's Guide to the Practical Use of the Scriptures - (Jay Adams) - The title may be unclear, but Adams aim is to help Christians to know how to wield Scripture in every day circumstances. Inside, he lays out a very practical, systematic way to really get to know the Word. This is a good, simple, easy-to-read book that will challenge and assist any believer in the everyday use of applying Scripture to real life situations.
18. The JFK Assassination Debates: Lone Gunman versus Conspiracy - (Michael L. Kurtz) - This excellently researched and well-written book gives a broad and historic overview of the two major theories of what happened on November 22, 1963. Kurtz is a genuine expert, having researched and interviewed almost every angle and personality of this story of presidential assassination for over 40 years. He is also an academic, which lends credibility and fairness to the research he presents. While he is personally a proponent of the conspiracy angle, Kurtz's chapter on the lone gunman theory is a convincing and thorough case in its own right. Common questions associated with the Kennedy assassination, such as the role of the intelligence community, and connections with Cuba, are addressed in an engaging and clear manner. This is an excellent and readable book for anyone wanting to better understand the influences and major players that may have contributed to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; I highly recommend it.
19. Keys to the Deeper Life - (A.W. Tozer) - This challenging book, more than 50 years old, could have been written to the church today. Tozer's description of modern evangelicalism as operating almost entirely on a mental level, without continual reliance on the Spirit, is right-on, except perhaps that he gives too much credit to the church for pursuing truth. Sadly, it seems that even that mental pursuit has been abandoned in the 55 or so years since he wrote this book. Though small in number of pages, this book is rich with encouragement! I'm confident that his challenges to be filled with the Spirit, to separate from the world, and to live an integrated (heart, soul, mind, and spirit) Christian life will stir the heart of any child of God blessed enough to read the book.
20. I read the first 10 chapters (which is all I intend to read) of Russ Baker's massive book, Family of Secrets: The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces that Put it in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America - (Russ Baker) - This is a very interesting book, but I certainly would not take it all as fact. While his notes section at the back is long, there are many things he asserts without documentation that are not "common knowledge" and, therefore, should be supported with references, articles... anything. Because he doesn't, I don't know how many things are mental leaps of a conspiracy theorist and how much is fact. My husband bought it for his own interest but suggested I read the first portion to get more information about Bush's role in the CIA/Cuban goings-on of the early 60's. As an addition to my Kennedy assassination research, all the info about Bush the elder as a CIA agent in the 1950's-1960's was quite fascinating. Summing up, it's not an amazing book, but it's certainly interesting, and if you don't know much and want to get a history of the Bush family, it really is an eye-opening read.
21. The Well-Trained Mind - (Wise & Bauer) - Undoubtedly, every homeschooler will encounter references to, and followers of, this book and the method presented inside. Because I have had it on my shelf for a few years, and it looks like quiet a lengthy tome, I was not prepared for how easy of a read it is. This book is more like a short philosophy of education, with a survey of the material and books to be covered in each grade, according to Wise & Bauer. Except for roughly the first quarter of the book (the philosophy part), it is almost entirely composed of lists and suggestions, organized by subject matter and grade. I am thankful that we'd already homeschooled for a number of years by the time I read this book, so that I don't feel it necessary to follow it in order to raise thinking children. To be honest, thanks to the incredible Sonlight forums and the awesome homeschooling moms I've "met" there, I didn't encounter anything wholly new or unique in TWTM, but I'm glad to have read it, and may occasionally refer to it as we progress in our children's educations. I can see how this would be a real gem for some moms who are looking for structure and affirmation about what will be "enough" for and help their children thrive in their home school.
22. Mommy, Teach Me To Read - (Barbara Curtis) - Barbara was kind enough to send this book for my growing library of homeschool/teaching-themed books after we met through the blogosphere last year. It is certainly not a book of some educational "expert" peering down with studies and graphs and theories... this is the book of a mom who has taught many children (including her 12!) to read, and wants to help you do it easily and naturally. If you are looking for a simple book with an easy-to-follow method, this could be a good fit for you. One interesting inclusion is a small appendix with ideas for teaching lefties how to write, listing out specific hand placement and approaches for using with that unique slice of the population that is left-handed. Barbara also has much experience with special needs children, and brings that to bear in the book as well.
23. Sacred Marriage - (Gary Thomas) - This is, bar-none, the best book on marriage I've ever read. Mr. Thomas clearly lays out God's plan of sanctification, maturity, blessing, and growth through a Christian marriage. I highly recommend it to any man, woman, married or hoping to be married. Happily married couples will find further encouragement; struggling couples will find challenge and hope; future married people will be informed about God's higher purpose. It really is the most solidly biblical portrayal of marriage and intimacy and God's plans that I've yet encountered. Read it.
24. Beautiful Girlhood (Ed. by Karen Andreola) - Wow. I wish I had had this book when I was growing up (I could have, just didn't know it). I can't wait to review this book as our daughter grows, and one day (maybe around age 10-13, depending on the girl), place it in her hands and read it together as she prepares for womanhood. What a beautifully written book about what girlhood and womanhood truly ought to be.
25. Genesis - I read through the book of Genesis in August preparation for our family vacation to Egypt. Some things I noticed in this read-through(focused more closely on Egypt this time) was that in the very first mention of Egypt (with Abraham-- chap 12), there is already a Pharoah and Egypt is a thriving nation. Sarah becomes a part of his harem for a while because of Abraham's half-truth (12:19). Hagar was given as a slave from Pharoah (12:16) to Abram... and when her son is born and grows into manhood, she procures an Egyptian wife for him (21:21). When Joseph is promoted as 2nd only to the Pharoah (41:38-21), he's given a wife that's the daughter of a high priest from Heliopolis (still a suburb of Cairo--41:45). Joseph settled his family in some of the best parts (45:18-20, 47:11) of Egypt (which was quite a gift, since Gen 13:10 calls Egypt a very beautiful land). Still, Israelites were already hated by Egyptians (despite Joseph's high rank)-- Joseph's Egyptian servants refused to sit with Joseph or his brothers (43:32). Joseph was given unusual latitude in the gifts/privileges given by Pharoah in exchange for his wise plan that ended with all Egyptians being owned, in body, land, and material goods by the Pharoah (47:20-21). Both Jacob (49:33-50:3) and Joseph (50:26) benefitted from Egyptian techniques of mummification. Interestingly, in the translation I brought with me (NLT), Egypt is literally the last word in Genesis.
26. Home Making (now printed with a new title: "The Family") - (J.R. Miller) - I really enjoyed how Miller went through the various relationships that exist in a home (Husband-Wife, Father-children, Mother, children, Brothers-Sisters, Brothers-Brothers, etc.) and sketched a biblical picture for the potential for growth, encouragement, and love in each relationship in the Christian home. This was a beautiful book, and I highly enjoyed it and recommend it.
27. What Our Mothers Never Told Us: Why Happiness Eludes the Modern Woman - (Danielle Crittenden) -VERY VERY interesting read. Nearly everything I've stumbled across as I've tried to purge my brain of feminist theology was presented and tackled in this book. Crittenden offers up clear, research-based criticisms of each leg of the proposed feminist journey through life and why it does women wrong. At the book's end, she provides an interesting proposal for how to navigate life as an informed, modern women. This should be required reading for the young women in our society.
28. Intimate Issues: 21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex - (Dillow & Pintus) - I'd read this before, but it's always good to be reminded of the freedom and delights that are ours by God's design in the realm of marital intimacy.
29. The Christian Home School - (Gregg Harris) -This book was written more than a decade ago, when homeschooling was still largely a statistically insignificant thing, when Joshua Harris was still unmarried and living at home, and when the Harris twins were kidlets. It was insightful and helpful for me to read what Mr. Harris & his wife were doing even then that has helped to sharpen and shape some of the most challenging and determined Christian young people of our generation. Harris' ideas about homeschooling, parenting, and life will be encouraging for Christian parents who seek to be intentional and interactive.
30. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society - (Eugene Peterson) -Loved, loved, loved this. Gracious and truthful. Full of challenging, biblical perspective, Peterson has a way of digging deeper into Scripture and mining out precious thoughts for further meditation and conviction. I enjoyed mulling over this book over the course of the summer.
31. A Voice in the Wind - (Francine Rivers) - "Mark of the Lion" series, book 1
32. An Echo in the Darkness - (Francine Rivers) - "Mark of the Lion" series, book 2
33. As Sure as the Dawn (Francine Rivers) - "Mark of the Lion" series, book 3
34. A Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family - (Mary Ostyn) - Oh, I loved, loved, loved this book. Though we'd never previously interacted, Mary wrote me privately a few months ago and offered me a copy of her book. I was so excited to read it, and (living overseas) just received it last week, and devoured it in just a few days' time. It was such a great book, and I am so happy to be able to highly recommend it, without reservation. Mrs. Ostyn has such a beautiful way of presenting truth in a gracious and helpful way. There were many practical tips I underlined and dog-eared so that I can return to the book and put some things to use in our home, and there were so many times when I wrote in the margin (or said), "Yes!" This book will make the mother of a larger-than-average brood feel right at home, but there are so many great ideas and mothering "tools" that a one-child mom could find plenty to challenge and encourage her in this delightful book. 
35. The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University - (Kevin Roose) - This book presents American evangelical Christians with a rare opportunity -- to see ourselves through fresh eyes. Now, not everything that happens at Liberty University reflects norms of American Christianity, and not everything that Roose notes is necessarily accurate or fully informed, but I believe he did a good job of trying to fairly evaluate a controversial place (Liberty U), started by a controversial man (Jerry Falwell), and populated by young people who are part of a controversial group in America (conservative evangelical Christians). His fresh straight-from-the-secular-cesspool perspectives on worship, doctrine, cultural practices, dating, spiritual transformations, and more are insightful and worth reading for anyone who seeks to understand the cultural divides and contrasts that exist in American politics, religion, and society. I'm glad to have read it.
36. America's Cheapest Family: Gets You Right on the Money - (Steve & Annette Economides) - This is a great book for getting tips/ideas/inspiration for spending less money, saving money, and being creative with what you have. The Economides family has raised four kiddos to adulthood, making an average of $30,000 per year. They take vacations, enjoy hobbies/sports, and dress well while saving money and living on what most people would consider a near-poverty-level income. I'm sure you could find more "technical" money advice in a Dave Ramsey/financial-focused sort of workshop/book. BUT- the Economides' book is focused on doing well as a family. They give practical tips and ideas I'd never thought of before. I got the book for fairly cheap, and certainly got my money's worth. I'm happy to recommend the book to anyone who wants to raise a family in a frugal and money-wise way.
37. Cranford - (Elizabeth Gaskell) - This was such an enjoyable read. Set in 19th century England, this book is remniscent of Jane Austen, but I personally found Gaskell's story to be more witty and less predictable. It includes deeper and more insightful character studies, and more subtly instructive moral lessons. There were so many times when I laughed out loud-- the book really is full of parts that are just that funny. I'm typically a quick fiction reader, but Gaskell forces you (in a wonderful way) to slow down and really savor each insightful sentence or vignette. I really, really enjoyed the book.
38. No Graven Image - (Elisabeth Elliot) - Wow. What a powerful book this is. Elliot pulls no punches in this, her only novel, as she presents life for a young woman trying to serve God in Ecuador. The picture painted is not black and white, not easily digestible... but very thought-provoking. The sovereignty of God, the "why"s of life, pain, suffering, guidance, confidence in His will... it's all questioned here in novel form. I greatly enjoyed and am glad to recommend this book. It's not an easy read, but it is a valuable read, and the questions it raises are certainly ones we should all ponder to be sure we're not creating a god of our own image-making but actually seeing and knowing and serving the God who is.
39. The Complete Father Brown Stories - (G.K. Chesterton) - What fun these mysteries are! Written by one of the premier Christian thinkers of the last century, these short story mysteries are witty, extremely well-written, cleverly planned, and each story is short enough to read in a 15-minute reading session before bed (perhaps my favorite part). The central character is a humble but sharp-as-a-tack priest who employs humor and keen insights to solve some of the most baffling mysteries. His method of solving crimes doesn't always lead to arrest... as he is a priest, he concerns himself more with the state of the souls of criminals he encounters, and his actions reflect his aims. I'm still working through them... it's one fat book, but I've read nearly a dozen so far and if you are a connoisseur of good quality fiction or mysteries in general, it is quite likely that you will immensely enjoy this collection.