The gatherings—Friday’s Fave Five (4/30)
No cold water, please (4/29)
No snatching (4/28)
Wondrous Words Wednesday (4/28)
Animals—Corner View (4/27)
What’s on your nightstand?—April (4/27)
Bugs on a rose bush (4/26)
“God Gave Me You”—Then Sings My Soul Saturdays (4/24)
Life in Assisted Living—Friday’s Fave Five (4/23)
Is bruising bad? (4/22)
Where I hide (4/21)
Wondrous Words Wednesday (4/21)
Earth Day—Corner View (4/20)
Don’t just bite (4/19)
“Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s”—Book review (4/19)
“Just to Be with You”—Then Sings My Soul Saturdays (4/17)
Friday’s Fave Five (4/16)
A Bruised Reed (4/15)
Endure—stay under it (4/15)
Pull those weeds (4/14)
Wondrous Words Wednesday (4/14)
Contrasts #2—Corner View (4/13)
More from “66 Love Letters” (4/13)
“66 Love Letters”—Book review (4/12)
Run! It’s too risky not to (4/12)
“To Know You”—Then Sings My Soul Saturdays (4/10)
Friday’s Fave Five (4/9)
I can breathe! (4/8)
So I thought (4/7)
Wondrous Words Wednesday (4/7)
Who’s the Christian on American Idol? (4/6)
“A Hunger for God”—Book review (4/6)
Be humble (4/5)
“Counterfeit Gods”—Book review (4/4)
“No Not One”—Then Sings My Soul Saturdays (4/3)
Medical CARE—Friday’s Fave Five (4/2)
…at His feet (4/1)
APRIL 2010 Posts
The gatherings—Friday’s Fave Five
Each week we gather to share five favorite moments from the last 7 days.
My favorites this week are times I gathered - with friends, family, and even strangers.
For more favorites, visit Susanne’s space.
1. With the 4 Corners
We’ve been having sleepovers every year since we were in the 6th grade. We don’t stay up as late as we used to, but we still share all our secrets just the same. These are some of my closest spiritual sisters—I love them so much!
2. With the extended family
It’s been a few months, but hopefully we’ve restarted our monthly tradition of sharing food and time together. This time we met at the clubhouse of my mom’s assisted living.
3. With the drama queens (and kings)
The hard work of Jenna’s drama group paid off! They were hilarious in their play Tuesday night. I had fun both watching them, and in gathering with old friends to catch up after the play was over.
4. With my brother
A positive side-effect of the shift in my family structure is that my siblings and I spend tons of extra time together as we straighten out finances and pull together in caring for my mom.
My brother and I have taken on some joint responsibilities, so I’ve spent more one-on-one time with him the past 6 months than ever. Together we’ve seen lawyers, doctors, and yesterday, bankers, followed by lunch.
I love how God designed my family by letting Lane be my big brother. He’s the best. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my only brother.
5. With new friends
Jenna and I visited with my mom outside in the rocking chairs last night. There we met two brand new friends. One suggested we move our party into the parlor. Since every gathering room at the assisted living seems to have a piano, when they asked if anybody could play, I had to admit I could.
So once again we had an impromptu sing-along, and once again, nobody complained about how awful my playing is (or that the E flat key didn’t work). Being together and singing together outranks the quality of my skills. And thankfully God doesn’t measure our praise by human standards but by our hearts’ intentions.
* * *
Thanks for gathering here today!
Please share a comment below about one of your favorites this week. Let’s give thanks together!
No cold water, please
~ Thoughts from The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
4. Christ will not quench the smoking flax
5. The spirit of mercy should move us
Step away from the bucket of cold water.
As long as there is a spark of faith, keep it lit. 
Why?
1. Because that spark originated in heaven—it is from his Spirit.
2. Because he wants it preserved to shine in dark places.
As Christ was tender to the weak in body, wasn’t he even more tender to the weak in spirit? (such as, his tenderness with Peter after he denied him; giving Thomas the proof he asked for; …) So are we to be.
Bear with the weak (Romans 15:1). But don’t leave them there.
The church suffers much from weak ones, therefore we may assert our liberty to deal with them, though mildly, yet oftentimes directly.
The scope of true love is to make the party better, which concealment oftentimes hinders.
Help the weak grow stronger. Like a fragile glass, if handled properly, they will then last a long time and become useful to the church.
Be merciful as you teach truths. Don’t distract or tire others with them. And don’t intellectualize. Religion is not to be “only a matter of cleverness, in tying and untying of knots.”
The brains of men inclining that way are hotter usually than their hearts.
Let mercy move you to edify others. Don’t kill a fly on the forehead with a mallet.
The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoky, offensive souls. Oh, that that Spirit would breathe into our spirits the same merciful disposition!
Live to give no offense.
Live to take none.
We endure the bitterness of wormwood, and other distasteful plants and herbs, only because we have some experience of some wholesome quality in them; and why should we reject men of useful parts and graces, only for some harshness of disposition, which, as it is offensive to us, so it grieves themselves?
* * *
COMING NEXT:
6. Marks of the smoking flax
7. Help for the weak
This is Week 3 of Tim Challie’s “Reading Classics Together.”
Download The Bruised Reed free online from Monergism.com, or grab a hardcopy, and read along with us.
Comments from reading group
Previous chapters
No snatching
JOHN 10:28
She’s slipping away.
The doctor asks, “Where have you been living?”
Nothing.
He asks again.
Nothing.
Rephrased, “Where do you live?”
But nothing.
I wonder, too. Where does she live? In what world? When I step into it, I feel disoriented, too.
*
Earlier, Mrs. O sits on Mama’s bed and fingers the comforter. “It’s solid blue underneath.”
“But it’s mine,” she replies.
“It’s so pretty.”
“Yes, and it’s mine.”
Several rounds.
We all get up to leave, but first, Mrs. O stops at Mama’s pictures. She fingers a frame with our family inside, but claims it as her own, “This is a picture of my family… [then takes a closer look] …but it isn’t.”
*
Doctor: “Are you mostly happy or sad?”
She: “Yes.”
Doctor: “Happy or sad? Which one?”
No response.
Then, “I’m still grieving. My husband passed away, and I’m sad. I’ll never get over it.”
She has returned, if only briefly. I recognize this woman. I want her to stay close.
She doesn’t. She lingers momentarily in our world. But drifts back to her own too soon.
Where is God in this?
Can He live inside confusion?
Does He reign in the midst of disease?
PSALM 139:9-10
I must answer a resounding, “Yes!”
There is nowhere my mom goes without His presence. Not even the shadowy dark corners of Alzheimer’s. He is there. And she is safe.
She’s home free already. No matter what happens now.
JOHN 10:27
She heard His voice early in life. She followed.
I praise God for that.
He heard her voice then. He hears her voice now.
I praise God for that, too.
ROMANS 8:38-39
I say, “Amen.”
She may be slipping through my fingers,
but she can’t be snatched out of His hand.
And I whisper, “So be it.”
JOHN 10:29
* * *
Join us in community for more Cultivating the Life God Desires.
More Walks with Him
Wondrous Words Wednesday
What new words have you learned this week? Join Kathy to see more.
All my words this week are from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
1. sophister
(n) [SOF-uh-ster]
Definition—a specious, unsound, or fallacious reasoner
Use—“I, who stood by and heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old sophister, and the other a mere novice.”
2. nuncupative
(adj) [NUHNG-kyuh-pey-tiv]
Definition—delivered orally to witnesses rather than written
Use—“He left me a small legacy in a nuncupative will, as a token of his kindness for me, and he left me once more to the wide world; for the store was taken into the care of his executors, and my employment under him ended.”
3. pistoles
(n) [pi-STOHL]
Definition—any of several gold coins used in various European countries until the late 19th century
Use—“I had fifteen pistoles; so he borrowed occasionally of me to subsist, while he was looking out for business.”
4. factotum
(n) [fak-TOH-tuhm]
Definition—an employee or assistant who serves in a wide range of capacities
Use—“I also engrav'd several things on occasion; I made the ink; I was warehouseman, and everything, and, in short, quite a factotum.”
5. captious
(adj) [KAP-shuhs]
Definition—apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please
Use—“He grew by degrees less civil, put on more of the master, frequently found fault, was captious, and seem'd ready for an outbreaking.”
6. croakers
(n) [KROH-ker]
Definition—a person who grumbles or habitually predicts evil
Use—“There are croakers in every country, always boding its ruin.”
* * *
Which words are also new to you?
Animals—Corner View
Is this normal?
Ducks waddle around in everybody’s front yards, yes? No?
We’ve got these new additions in the back yard…
When Morgan was small, she always pretended she was a dog. But maybe that was better than Jenna pretending she’s Little Red Hen. (Do well in your play tonight, Jenna!)
God’s creativity is unparalleled in the animal kingdom!
I’m thankful for these “animals” he’s allowed in my life because I derive so much pleasure from them. (Well, not counting the gerbils, but Jenna still has fun with them…)
For more animals around the world, visit Joyce, our wonderful substitute hostess for Corner View.
* * *
What’s on your nightstand?—April
On the 4th Tuesday of each month, Jennifer asks, “What’s on your nightstand?” 
Finished from March’s nightstand
1. 66 Love Letters ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
by Larry Crabb
Don’t be biblically illiterate. This book is a painless and personal summarization of each book of the Bible. I read it straight through, but now I’m re-reading one chapter at a time as I read the corresponding Bible ‘letter’ in my daily Bible reading.
2. Reliving the Passion ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
by Walter Wangerin Jr.
Write this one down to read during Lent 2011, if you haven’t read it already. Short devotionals walk you through a reflective journey with Christ on the way to the cross.
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
by Mary Ann Shaffer
If you want a clean, delightful, engrossing story, read this book (along with everyone else!). I started and finished it far faster than most books I read because it was so fun. And I learned a little history about World War 2 along the way.
4. A Hunger for God ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
by John Piper
Reacquaint yourself with the timeless discipline of fasting so you can deepen your hunger for and satisfaction of God. This book doesn’t make my all-time favorite list of Piper books, but it’s still worth reading. (Download a free copy here.)
5. Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
by Joanne Koenig Coste
You may think you don’t need this one, but odds are you either know someone with Alzheimer’s, or know someone taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s. An insightful book, the author teaches how to manage the hard situations that accompany Alzheimer’s, and to do so with dignity for everybody involved.
Continuing
6. The Happiness Project
by Gretchen Rubin
The focus for April’s resolution is money. The subgoals from Gretchen’s blog aren’t necessarily what they seem:
Week 13: Buy some happiness
Week 14: Beware the expensive gym membership effect
Week 15: Are you an over-buyer or an under-buyer?
Week 16: Spend out
7. Charity and Its Fruits
by Jonathan Edwards
I just finished reading Lecture 8, “The spirit of charity the opposite of a selfish spirit” on 1 Corinthians 13:5:
“…Love does not insist on its own way…”
Just started
8. Forgotten God
by Francis Chan
Subtitle: “Reversing our tragic neglect of the Holy Spirit”
The point is not to completely understand God but to worship Him. Let the very fact that you cannot know Him fully lead you to praise Him for His infiniteness and grandeur.
9. Plan B
by Pete Wilson
Subtitle: “What do you do when God doesn’t show up the way you thought he would?”
I’ve got tons of pages marked so far. Look for a review once I finish and can narrow down my notes.
10. Radical
by David Platt
Subtitle: “Taking back your faith from the American Dream”
This one is challenging me to rethink how comfortable I’ve become with my Christianity.
11. Worship Matters
by Bob Kauflin
Subtitle: “Leading others to encounter the greatness of God”
Oh, this one is such a pleasure. When I read about worship, I find myself worshiping more. And this book is not just for “worship leaders” as we typically define them. According to Kauflin, “Anyone who encourages others to praise God can be referred to as a ‘worship leader.’” That includes you and me!
12. The Bruised Reed
by Richard Sibbes
Written by a Puritan in the early 17th century, this book is a slower read. I’m following with the group at Challies.com because I get more out of the classics when we read them together. In other words, I need help!
13. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
by Benjamin Franklin
So far, it’s been fun! He tells his life stories well, and I keep getting glimpses from even tiny things he says that help me understand why he was a great man.
Next up
NOTHING! I’ve got too many books going at one time, even for my taste. So I won’t even think about the next one until at least…June. Or…until I see your list. Why is a good book so hard to resist?
* * *
What’s a favorite book that you are reading this month?
Bugs on a rose bush
What I’m memorizing:
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Something’s been eating my rose bush.
I don’t like it. It’s making holes in the leaves, which (a) takes away the plant’s food-making ability, and (b) makes the bush ugly.
And (c) if left untreated, threatens the very life of the bush itself.
Am I bugs on a rose bush?
Spending time with Ephesians 4:31 makes me more aware of my words and attitudes. As much as I don’t like it, they can be ugly and fierce and harsh and, (oh, do I have to say it? is it so if it’s not intentional?) sinful.
Just ask my daughter. When I get grouchy, she’s usually on the front line of attack…because she’s the one with me the most. And the one needing to ask me questions the most.
So she’s the one who’s hit by my bad mood the most.
When my words aren’t gentle and my attitudes aren’t pleasant, I’m bugs on her rose bush. I’m (a) eliminating healthy examples for her to feed off and grow in her own Christ-like behavior, and (b) I’m making her life uglier.
And (c) if left unchecked, I can choke off the very life of her spirituality as well.
Yikes!
What can I do?
Poison the bad bugs! And feed the good growth!
Put away the bad stuff (Ephesians 4:31). Put on the good stuff (Ephesians 4:32).
- Be helpful.
- Show compassion.
- Give grace.
That’s what God in Christ does for me so I can grow strong and healthy.
And that’s what he’s telling me to do for others.
The result? A life of abundant blooms that glorify the Creator.
Lord,
Please poison my bugs of unflattering, selfish, impatient ways.And instead, help me nurture others with tenderness, sensitivity, and graciousness, the ways you nourish me.
* * *
What bugs are poisoning your life?
Join us at Joanne’s for Memory Monday to plant some good stuff in your heart.
(Thanks, Jenna, for the beautiful rose pictures you took for me! You’re my favorite photographer.)
“God Gave Me You”—Then Sings My Soul Saturdays
My husband has always been the best, but even more so the past few months. As my life’s responsibilities have shifted, his life has been affected, too. But he doesn’t complain; he just does what needs to be done, and goes on.
He’s a great example to me, a great help to me, and a great friend to me.
To my sweet Jeff:
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you
* * *
Join our friends at Amy’s for more great songs.
God Gave Me You
Dave Barnes
LYRICS
I’ve been a walking heartache
I’ve made a mess of me
The person that I’ve been lately
Ain’t who I wanna be
But you stay here right beside me
Watch as the storm blows through
And I need you
CHORUS:
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
For when I think I’ve lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it’s true
God gave me you
There’s more here than what were seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You’ll always be love’s great martyr
I’ll be the flattered fool
And I need you
CHORUS
On my own I’m only
Half of what I could be
I can’t do without you
We are stitched together
And what love has tethered
I could baby, never undo
CHORUS
Life in Assisted Living—Friday’s Fave Five
I didn’t mean for it to happen.
But it has.
I’ve fallen in love with a group of people in an old folks’ home.
The precious ladies at my mom’s assisted living have won my heart without even trying or even knowing it. They’re all in the memory care unit, which means they all suffer with varying levels of dementia.
So even as I grow in knowing them, they learn me anew every day. Sort of. But that’s alright.
Here are five memorable moments we’ve shared so far.
1. The stare down
As soon as I entered the dining room, M.A. began staring at me. Nonstop. And smiling. I smiled and waved, but after awhile, when the staring didn’t end, I got up and introduced myself. We’re now friends.
Except Sunday she asked me if my name was “Jan.”
2. Bingo!
Many of the ladies play with two cards at once! My mom hasn’t gotten the hang of even one card yet, but she super-impressed me when she noticed she had a diagonal Bingo.
And okay, I admit I was impressed with ME when I had a Bingo but kept quiet about it and didn’t claim my prize. Count our victories where we can, huh?
3. Piano player
Mrs. B is a phenomenal piano player and soprano singer. She and her alto buddy sing through their hymnal, all the verses. She was a pastor’s wife and was once a missionary in Africa for several years. And now I get to hang out and sing with her!
4. The sit down
My bud M.A. (see #1) wanted me to sit in her lap Sunday. I protested that I was too heavy and would hurt her. She insisted, so I half-sat on her knee for a second. It was a slightly awkward moment, I admit. Maybe it’s something “Jan” would do.
5. Substitute church
2:00 came and went. The residents had already gathered in the day room. Where was the scheduled Methodist group? A no-show. So at 2:15, I caved and headed toward the piano myself.
Recruiting Jeff and Jenna, we started the sing-along, even though my playing was pretty rough. But it was an easy crowd.
Thankfully, my uncle (a phenomenal piano player) showed up a few minutes (and 3 times of “In the Garden”—a crowd favorite by request) later. I convinced him to take over the keys (I’ve done that all my life). We all were happy.
* * *
You never know what kind of living a week will bring!
Any surprises in your week?
Please leave a comment below. And visit our friends at Friday’s Fave Five.
Is bruising bad?
~ Thoughts from The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
2. Christ Will Not Break the Bruised Reed
3. The Smoking Flax
Getting a bruise 
I bruise easily.
Since we bought a new bed a year ago, I’ve hit my leg on the corner posts about, oh, 30 times.
Yeah, it hurts every time. And yeah, my leg turns black and blue and puffy.
Why do I keep doing it? Especially 30 times???
I don’t try to. I don’t want to.
But on days when I’m in a hurry to round the corner, or I’m mindlessly thinking about something else, boom.
Bruised again.
Sometimes I feel like a bruised reed because of circumstances. Sad things surround me. I feel wounded by life.
And rightly so. But my real bruising is not from loss or grief or disappointment.
It’s an inside job.
Me.
That’s what I hear Richard Sibbes saying in The Bruised Reed. In chapters 2 and 3, I read:
- Jesus doesn’t break the bruised
- The reason we’re bruised? Our own sin
Just as the bed doesn’t reach out and grab my thigh to bruise it, neither does sin gets its grip on me without my consent. Sin happens when I’m in too big of a hurry and cut a corner. Or when I mindlessly take my focus off Jesus.
I may not want to. I try not to. But I do sin. A new bruise.
Bruised reeds are those brought low not just by their crosses, but by realization of their sin…
…those who understand that sin is their greatest enemy, and that God’s favor is their greatest gift.
…those who are humble and compassionate, and who tremble at God’s word.
Jesus and bruises
What does Christ do with bruised reeds? He doesn’t break a man when he’s down. (That’s what Satan does—he attacks us when we’re weakest.) Christ extends a hand to lift the humble up.
As a healer, Christ binds the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:0). As a master, He shepherds. As a prophet, he gives blessing. As a priest, he dies for sinners.
Surgeons will lance and cut, but not dismember. A mother who has a sick and self willed child will not therefore cast it away.
And shall there be more mercy in the stream than in the spring? Shall we think there is more mercy in ourselves than in God, who plants the affection of mercy in us?
Our response
We should come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). “Shall our sins discourage us, when he appears there only for sinners?” No. Let’s open our wounds to him. Don’t hide our bruises. Understand our need for a Savior.
So maybe a bruise isn’t so bad after all.
Christ’s goal isn’t my happiness; it’s my holiness.
Let this support us when we feel ourselves bruised. Christ's way is first to wound, then to heal.
No sound, whole soul shall ever enter into heaven.
My bruise shows me where I keep running into the post, and makes me walk farther around it and closer to God. It encourages me to slow down at the tempting spots instead of being in a hurry to do things my way.
I am a bruised reed because of the sin in me.
But I’m only bruised, not broken, because of the Lord in me.
There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.
* * *
COMING NEXT:
4. Christ Will Not Quench the Smoking Flax
5. The Spirit of Mercy Should Move Us
This is Week 2 of Tim Challie’s “Reading Classics Together.”
Download The Bruised Reed free online from Monergism.com, or grab a hardcopy, and read along with us.
Comments from reading group
Previous chapters
Where I hide
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
Selah
Psalm 32:7
The young ladies dance beautifully across the stage. Ballet Magnificat!, a Christian dance company, retells the story of Corrie and Betsie ten Boom in “Hiding Place.” (Watch a preview here.) The song by Selah wafts through the air, grounded in Psalm 32.
So I pray.
And I remember.
And I believe.
And I worship.
* * *
i want to hide
to take a break in a safe place
experience a respite from my battles
with situations and sin and self
You are my hiding place
i’m scared
of what lies ahead
of who i am now and
of who i may become
You surround me with songs of deliverance
so You break through
You are there
i hear You in song and
i know i am protected
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you
although the fear is recurrent
it is fleeting
but the faith…
the faith is lasting
Let the weak say I am strong
what is too hard for me
is so easy for You
because of You
i am a warrior (Joel 3:10)
In the strength of the Lord
not in my will, LORD, but in Your power
not in my cave, but in Your fortress
not in my chaos, but in Your calm because
You are my hiding place (Psalm 32:7)
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:10
* * * 
Join the community at Holy Experience for more reflections on
Cultivating the life God desires.
Wondrous Words Wednesday
What new words have you learned this week? Join Kathy and friends to see more.
1. praxis
(n) [PRAK-sis]
Definition—practical application or exercise of a branch of learning
Use—“Must say this again: I contend that the Restoration Movement, or the Stone-Campbell movement, made up of the Christian Church and the Churches of Christ, is American evangelicalism's best-kept secret and, sadly, the most overlooked resource of thinking and praxis.”
~ Scot McKnight on “Stone Campbell Lectures”
2. bricolage
(n) [bree-kuh-LAHZH]
Definition—a construction made of whatever materials are at hand; something created from a variety of available things
Use—“In brief, my contentions were that postmodernity spirituality emerges out of a soteriological incoherence (with traditional soteriology) and flows into a bricolage spirituality.”
~ Scot McKnight on “Stone Campbell Lectures”
3. engram
(n) [EN-gram]
Definition—a presumed encoding in neural tissue that provides a physical basis for the persistence of memory; a memory trace.
Use—“Scientology says that the static in our heads is caused by engrams.”
~ Article on the web
* * *
Which ones are also new to you?
Earth Day—Corner View
This week’s theme for Corner View is Earth Day, which is Thursday.
(See more worldwide pics here from us ordinary folks.)
I love nature. Sometimes I wish I had been a meteorologist (I’ve loved The Weather Channel since day 1, 1982).
Or a zoologist (we’ve kept dogs, cats, turtles, fish, ducks, gerbils, snails, crabs, lizards—but I can’t convince Jeff to let me get a snake. Yet).
Or a horticulturist (I have 16 houseplants as of last count). I’m thankful Morgan has chosen this for her career.
Weather & animals & plants affect everybody indiscriminately. Who isn’t aware when a thunderstorm rolls through through, or who can ignore a cute little puppy, or who doesn’t notice the scent or color of a fragrant bush in full bloom?
My mom and me with Jenna’ new puppy: 
They showed us many computers and instruments and monitors, but The Weather Rock was my favorite tool there:
The Weather Rock
If this rock is wet, it’s raining.
If this rock is dry, it’s not.
If this rock is white, it’s snowing.
When this rock is warm, it’s hot.
If you can’t see this rock, it’s night;
If you can then there’s daylight.
If you see or feel it shake;
Obviously – an earthquake.
But if this rock should up and go,
Surely there’s a tornado.
You’ll get an accurate report whenever
You need to know about the weather.
But if your quest is not yet done,
Get your EMA to call the “HUN”
John “Rusty” Russell
Whichever part of nature you delight in the most, be a good steward of it. And let the blessing of the gifts lead you to a greater appreciation of the Giver.
Enjoy the creation; worship the Creator!
You are the LORD, you alone.
You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them;
and you preserve all of them;
and the host of heaven worships you.
Nehemiah 9:6
* * *
Suggested actions from the official Earth Day 2010 campaign include:
- Bring your own cloth bags to the grocery store.
- Reuse water bottles and bring your own mug to the coffee shop.
- Buy local and organic food.
- Use less water.
- Get educated on conservation.
- Promote a green economy.
More here.
Thank you, Joyce, for hosting Corner View while Jane takes a coffee break.
Don’t just bite it
What I’m memorizing:
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29
In the world of good manners, we say, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” I try that sometimes.
What happens? I force myself into total silence. It’s hard, but it’s possible from time to time. 
But God goes beyond the world of good manners. And Ephesians 4:29 is so God. So picture-perfect balanced.
Just be silent? Forget it.
We’re not called to passivity.
With God, it’s not enough to say nothing ugly.
Instead, He wants us to say something good. Something helpful. To build others up. In appropriate ways. So those listening receive gifts of love.
It’s not easy being silent.
But it’s even harder to always speak grace.
It’s not easy biting your tongue.
But it’s even harder giving gifts with it.
Do it anyway.
Be a builder with your tongue.
Who can you build up today?
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Are you memorizing scripture this week? Join us at Joanne’s for Memory Monday.
“Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s”—Book review
I am not here anymore.
Somewhere else is where I am.
A place so hard to find,
you cannot see me here
or visit me there
or wish me out of this anywhere.
If this is where I am supposed to be,
why can’t I find me?
I was brought up to never tell a lie. Never. About anything.
When I was about 10 years old, Daddy’s good mechanical pencil came up “missing.” Who had seen it? Nobody. Not me.
Well, maybe me? Maybe it was in my closet? Because I had used it? But even after guilt set in, I was too scared to admit I had told a lie. So I didn’t.
And I still remember how yucky I felt.
I don’t want to feel yucky again. I don’t want to lie to my mother when she asks how much longer until she moves back home. Or how the work is progressing on her house. Or how long it takes to drive from my house to see her (she’s happiest when I say only about 5 minutes).
So I squirm around questions, and redefine words in my mind (what exactly is “home” anyway?), and do my best to be honest, while still looking out for her best interest in her perceived reality. 
Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s is a great book for people like me, who want to maintain the dignity of their loved one with dementia, but need to maintain their own dignity, too.
Author Joanne Koenig Coste learned the hard way when she took care of her husband with Alzheimer’s. She’s since ironed out five ways to help, and teaches these to others.
Five Tenets of Caregiving
- Make the physical environment work
- Know that communication remains possible
- Focus on remaining skills
- Live in the patient’s world: behavioral changes
- Enrich the patient’s life
She gives specific bites of advice, like:
- Place the toothpaste on her toothbrush before she goes into the bathroom for morning grooming.
- Eliminate meaningless utensils and condiments from the table; several choices are overstimulating.
- Learn to communicate with pictures instead of always with words.
- If she fails to recognize you as a friend or acquaintance, simply reintroduce yourself.
- Go into her world for the necessary moment to reassure her, then change the subject and turn it into a pleasant experience.
And this biggie:
- Never attempt to reason with someone who has lost her reason.
Like The 36-Hour Day, this is painful reading, to be sure. Alzheimer’s is downhill road, and who wants to be reminded of how bad it typically gets?
But for me, preparedness is protection. For me. For her.
The more I know now, the more patient and helpful I can be later. Hopefully, prayerfully. I wish I had already known more.
I want to be straightforward with my mom. But that doesn’t usually make sense to her. So I have to speak with her in ways she will understand. Books like this help me know how to live in her reality. To bring her joy she can feel. To treat her with the respect and dignity she deserves.
She’s still my mother, after all. And I will always love her.
And that’s the God-honest truth.
“Just to Be with You”—Then Sings My Soul Saturday
What do you want?
Just a little more time.
Just another chance.
Just…
What do you need?
Just to be with Him.
Want what you need.
Just to Be with You
Paul Baloche
LYRICS
Lord my life is an empty cup
Here's my heart, would You fill me up
I'm face to the ground, forsaking my pride
Leaving my will, my burdens behind
{CHORUS}
All I want, all I need
Is just to be with You, just to be with You
Here I am at Your feet
Just to be with You, just to be with You
I have come to the end of me
And there's nothing I have to bring
But You said I belong, You say I am yours
Nothing compares to knowing you more
{CHORUS}
You made a way for me
Oh Savior, I'm yours forevermore
Oh, You made a way for me
Oh Savior, I'm yours forevermore
I'm yours forevermore
{CHORUS}
Oh, all I want is just to be with You
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Visit Amy for more songs.
Friday’s Fave Five
1. No tingly feet
I hate certain scary bridges. But almost daily for a month now, I’ve been facing my nemesis. This week I just happened to notice that I no longer get tingly feet when I drive over it! A small but sweet victory.
2.15 on the interstate
…until I was the passenger while my 15-yr-old drove over this bridge. It made me a little nervous again. It was also her first time driving on an interstate. She wanted to talk Algebra. I wanted her full concentration. She did great.
3. Really old books
It’s unusual for me, but I’m reading (slowly) three really old books right now. Written by Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin, and Richard Sibbes, they are rich in content and new vocabulary and a totally different style of writing—much more formal and elongated sentence structure than in modern books. I wouldn’t want all my reading to be this way, but for now it’s a nice change of pace.
4. Outdoor weddings
Aren’t they great? We went to a beautiful one last Saturday. Birds were singing, breeze was blowing, trains were whistling.
5. Final words
I regretted that I never read my dad’s commentary on Romans before he died. But now that I have started it, it’s pretty neat to “hear” fresh words from him that I wouldn’t be hearing otherwise. I’ll savor them slowly, too.
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What is a highlight from your week? Join the gang with Susanne for Friday’s Fave Five.
A bruised reed
~ Thoughts from Chapter 1 of The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
“The Reed and the Bruising”
The bruised reed is a man that for the most part is in some misery, as those were that came to Christ for help, and by misery he is brought to see sin as the cause of it, for, whatever pretences sin makes, they come to an end when we are bruised and broken.
A bruised reed.
It’s a good description of me. I’m not an oak, just a reed. But I’m only bruised, not broken. 
And Christ is dealing with me. That’s a good thing. He’s gentle, but firm.
He knows just how far I can bend without breaking.
He’s working to improve my serve by placing me in an active sandwich role of mom and daughter. And I’m struggling.
I feel a little banged up. My self-centeredness trips me up. My pride and fears are also big obstacles in my path.
But Jesus specializes in working with the sinful and weak and wounded. He is the perfect medicine to heal all my scrapes and wash off all my ugliness.
As I place this bruised reed in his hand,
I’ll live by his mercy, and
I’ll hope in his name (Matthew 12:20-21).
* * *
Excerpts from Chapter 1
In time of temptation, apprehensive consciences look so much to the present trouble they are in that they need to be roused up to behold him in whom they may find rest for their distressed souls.In temptations it is safest to behold nothing but Christ the true brazen serpent, the true ‘Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world’, (John 1:29).
*
We see, therefore, that the condition of those with whom he was to deal was that they were bruised reeds and smoking flax; not trees, but reeds; and not whole, but bruised reeds.
The church is compared to weak things: to a dove amongst the fowls; to a vine amongst the plants; to sheep amongst the beasts; to a woman, which is the weaker vessel.
*
THE GOOD EFFECTS OF BRUISING
This bruising is required before conversion that so the Spirit may make way for himself into the heart by levelling all proud, high thoughts, and that we may understand ourselves to be what indeed we are by nature.After conversion we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks. Even reeds need bruising, by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy.
Such bruising may help weaker Christians not to be too much discouraged, when they see stronger ones shaken and bruised.
* * *
IT’S NOT TOO LATE!
This is Day 1 of Tim Challie’s “Reading Classics Together.” Download The Bruised Reed free online, or grab a hardcopy, and read along with us.
More comments from the group on chapter 1 here.
Endure—stay under it
If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
Revelation 13:10
Thankfully, I haven’t been called to be taken captive or to be slain with the sword (at least not that I know of yet).
But we’re each called to do something. Sometimes it’s revealed to us plainly; sometimes, not.
I know I have a call to love on my husband, to train my kids, and in the past few months, to co-parent my parent with my siblings.
Whatever it is we’re called to do, we’re also called to endure it with faith.
I’ve always been intrigued by the Greek word for endure, hupomenÅ. It comes from two other words: the preposition hupo, meaning “under” and the verb menō meaning “stay.”
So the call to endure means we need to ‘stay under,’ and not try to wriggle out from underneath our responsibilities. Even when we might want to break free of this or that, or dodge an assignment here or there.
Be a saint more than in name only. We’re called to be (1 Corinthians 1:2). So let’s steadfastly stay under our calling with cheerfulness and patience, as we call on the Lord’s name to accomplish it.
Lord,
We hear the call.
May we endure with great faith.
Pull those weeds
My tulips are in full bloom. The Shasta daisies are showing buds.
But the weeds are the most prolific. 
I finally pulled out the gardening gloves this week and dug in. How could I let the ugly things grow side by side for so long with the pretty things?
I do it all the time.
My heart my bloom out in one kind act, but right behind it may grow a root of self-entitlement. Or a branch of greed for something that doesn’t belong to me. Or an invasive feeling of failure in all I touch.
To cultivate a life that God desires, I’ve got to pull those weeds.
Frequently. Even if it’s painful.
I don’t want ugly things stealing nutrients that rightfully belong to the pretty things. The godly things.
My front flower bed looks a little cleaner now. But I’m not done yet. Gardening in the early spring takes diligence, time, and breath work. ...
Spirit, clean me up.
Grow me to maturity.
Whether it hurts me or not,
pull those weeds.
* * *
Join the community at Holy Experience for more:
Cultivating the Life God Desires
Wondrous Words Wednesday
What new words have you learned this week?
Join Kathy to see more.
My three words this week came from The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.
1. errata
(n)
Definition—an error in printing or writing, especially such an error noted in a list of corrections and bound into a book
Use—“This was another of the great errata of my life, which I should wish to correct if I were to live it over again.”
2. thwart
(n)
Definition—a seat across a boat, esp. one used by a rower
Use—“So he swore he would make me row, or throw me overboard; and coming along, stepping on the thwarts, toward me, when he came up and struck at me, I clapped my hand under his crutch, and, rising, pitched him head-foremost into the river.”
3. conveyancer
(n)
Definition—a lawyer who specializes in the business of conveying (transferring ownership) to properties
Use—“The two first were clerks to an eminent scrivener or conveyancer in the town, Charles Brogden; the other was clerk to a merchant.”
Contrasts #2—Corner View
It’s the 1-yr anniversary of Corner View! So we’re choosing a favorite past theme to redo.
My “Contrasts #1” was life among death; trash or treasure; and contrasts that Jesus taught. 
Today, Contrasts #2 is outward styles.
I struggled with buying a Kindle. I’m a bibliophile from way back. Would I be betraying my true love if I cheated with a Kindle?
Nah. Just more to love.
I do like FREE though. Could I get that with a Kindle? Yes. (Well, once you get past the cost of the Kindle itself.) Of my 26 books/documents currently loaded, only one cost money (ESV Study Bible for only $9.99).
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin was one of my first Kindle freebies.
Then two weeks ago as I was deciding what books to take home from my dad’s bookcases, I discovered he had the hardcopy version of this same book on his shelf.
That made me smile.
Old versus new.
Traditional versus modern.
My dad versus me.
But content? Some things never change!
* * *
For more Corner Views, visit the links at Spain Daily.
And wish Jane a Happy Anniversary while you’re there!
More from “66 Love Letters”
Extra excerpts by Larry Crabb
from 66 Love Letters: A Conversation with God that Invites You into His Story 
I make no promise to protect you from suffering in this world.
I do promise the power to believe in My goodness when bad things happen, the power to hope with confidence that a good plan is unfolding when nothing visible supports that hope, and the power to reveal the goodness of My love no matter how distraught or empty you feel, even to those who contribute to your distress and emptiness.
That is the abundance I promise until you arrive at My party.
~ Love Letter 24, Jeremiah: THERE IS WATER IN THE WELL*
What most needs changing is not your circumstances. Blessings in the short term are dangerous to your long-term joy.
If I used My power to make your life work in ways that you found easily and quickly satisfying, you would become even less aware than you already are of what I designed you to enjoy and more stubborn in your pursuit of everything else.
~ Intro to Part 5, Hero Takes Center Stage: MATTHEW THROUGH JOHN*
They thought I should send the Messiah to bless them. John knew the Messiah would come to change them, to restore their souls before I restored their blessings.
~ Love Letter 40, Matthew: JESUS TAKES OVER*
Don’t look at your inability. Look at My Son’s ability.
~ Love Letter 43, John: HEAVEN’S REALITY HAS MOVED INTO YOURS*
You’ve convinced me that You’ve not promised to protect me in this life from things that scare the daylights out of me or to provide me with what I think I need to trust You.
But what You have promised is to change me, to make me enough like Your Son that I’ll be able to love You and love others no matter what goes on in me or in my life, no matter what I struggle with or how many bad things happen to me.
~ Love Letter 46, 1 Corinthians: I NEVER GIVE UP ON MY PEOPLE; MY PLAN WILL SUCCEED*
My Spirit is the love that My Son and I have for each other and for the world.
To live by My Spirit means to love others no matter how painfully you’re hurting or how badly you fail. Focus more on loving others than resisting temptation.
~ Love Letter 48, Galatians: DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND FREEDOM; YOUR FRUITFULNESS DEPENDS ON IT!
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