Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

I am taking a break from blogging. 

There -I said it! Just ripped it off like a Band-Aid!

Now... onto why:

The other day, on my college coaching call, I had a startling revelation: 

I could graduate in six months!

Now, the thing about CollegePlus! is that I will graduate in six months if I stay on track -as long as life continues along its normal course, as long as I diligently study and apply myself to all of the subjects that lay ahead, and, by God's grace, I could have my degree before the spring of 2011, and before my twenty-first birthday. 

Summer Reading

Can you believe it's already practically July? 

I know -I'm taken aback, too. I'm just now getting used to saying "twenty-ten," and now 2010 is almost over. This Friday, we finalize my brother Micah Alexander's adoption -I can't believe he'll be a year old next month (or that Elijah David will be six in a mere twenty days, and that Judah Benjamin turns two two weeks after Micah turns one, or Asher Augustine has been three for six months, or that Trey will be eighteen in half a year!) Also hard to believe is that -if I can stay on track -I'm set to graduate before I turn twenty-one: English B.A., here I come!

With the summer days quickly flying by, I wanted to answer a question that Anna asked in the post, "More than I Deserve:"

I am amazed at the reading you manage to get done. Usually, people say that to me, but it still takes me 1-2 months to finish a 400-page book. How do you fit your reading in with everything else you have to do?

The Pressure of Performing: A Revelation

Over the past few weeks, I've been writing out a view of my thoughts on performance anxiety: the fears that keep us from living whole-heartedly for God's glory. I was thinking of how best to wrap the series up when -guess what? It came to me. 

The way to overcome performance anxiety is to give up. 

Not to give up fighting the good fight, but to give up things like:

• A desire to be liked and accepted.
• A desire to be admired and revered.
• A desire to be respected. 
• A desire to be heard. 
• A desire to be vindicated.
  
  
  

The Eyes of the World Are Upon You

If you choose to train to become a homemaker -if you choose to live at home with your parents and serve your family until you become a wife and mother -if you live under the jurisdiction of your parents until you are given in marriage to a godly young man to whom you choose to submit... And especially if you do all of this because of biblical precedent and precept...

Expect some stones to fly in your direction.

Don't be surprised when you receive snide remarks -and don't be shocked with mischaracterization -and don't shrink back when others mock and deride you. And don't bother compromising, because unless you go all the way in trying to please the world, you'll never be far enough from your convictions.

But, also, don't lose heart. You are different -you are counter-cultural -you are purposeful -

And you're a threat.

More than I Deserve

Asher at his third birthday party this January. 

I think I've said before that I love musicals. Yesterday, I was thinking of one of my favorite musicals, White Christmas, and one Bing Crosby number in particular: Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep). Now, I'm not a huge Bing Crosby fan (I much prefer Frank Sinatra to watch and to listen to), and this isn't my favorite song, but it came to mind yesterday during one of those rare moments when I breathed out a sigh of relief... and utter contentment.

I say those moments are rare because I'm a natural-born cynic... and I can admit that. Usually, in the glow of a victory (for instance, passing my Western Civilization CLEP in thirty minutes yesterday -three more credits down!!), I start thinking about the next hill I need to climb (Western Civilization II). I'm also a natural-born perfectionist: everything that I accomplish could have been accomplished better. Always. But the Lord has given me a lot of reasons to be "perfectly" happy lately -he has given me more than I deserve -and I'm in a blessing-counting mood today.

An Excellent Resource

 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ~Romans 12:1-2

Sometimes, the culture speaks very loudly. 

I know it's always gabbing -it's culture, after all, and it's at our fingertips: it's on TV, it's in film, it's on the radio, it's knocking at our front door. Some days, it just seems... well, louder than others. You know the days I'm talking about -when you've been battered and buffeted by the culture around you to such a degree that you wish you could crawl into a hovel and live out your convictions in silence... forsaking the impact you might have on the screaming culture because of fear? You don't have to admit it,  but I will -I've definitely had those days.

If we lived in a culture saturated with the truth of Christ, a loud culture be a good thing -to have Christians carrying out the Great Commission by using every medium at their disposal to proclaim the gospel would be an amazing thing. However, as you well know -and as we are constantly reminded -post-modern culture is inundating us with a version of "truth" that is contrary to the gospel message. 

Romans 12:1-2 reminds us not to be conformed to the culture around us, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. I love the picture painted there -so often, our thought processes have been tainted by secular humanism, by Marxism, by feminism, and by so many other "isms," ideologies, and idolotries being spouted by the culture at large -it can be difficult to find clarity and confidence in biblical principles when the culture is screaming!

That's what I love about the resources from Western Conservatory, and it's what I love about the Botkin family -they have a way of cutting to the heart of the lies we have been fed and supplanting them with the truth of the gospel that is always refreshing, encouraging, and inspiring. Their CD set, "Christian Families at the Crossroads" followed that trend. Over the past few days, I have been bolstered by the applicable, personable lessons presented in the series with the characteristic clarity, grace, and humility of the Botkin family (of course, I have also been convicted, but that comes with the territory of godly inspiration, I think). 

Some lessons you will learn:

• The responsibility of older siblings to be example-setters 
• The responsibility of young women to seek education and passtimes that will equip them for dominion work
• The meaning of dominion work
• The importance of godly femininity
• The importance of young women using their single years wisely instead of "spinning their wheels" waiting for marriage
• The meaning of godly masculinity 
• The importance of developing strong sibling relationships
• The importance of honoring our parents
• The importance of carefully evaluating our higher education choices in light of Scripture
• Definition and principles for a practical courtship
• The importance of seeking a spouse who will aid you in being more effective for Kingdom work
• The all-encompassing and over-arching importance of the advancement of the gospel of Christ

And, of course, so much more. If you are in search of a resource that will inspire your family to dig into God's Word as you strive to hear past the din of the culture, this is definitely a great place to start. This is one of those resources that is as practical and applicable as it is inspiring: every CD holds something that will help you leap into action doing dominion work, and something that will help us to proclaim the truth of the gospel just as loudly -in word and deed -as our culture proclaims its message.

Now, I know you were hoping for a giveaway at the end of this post,  but, alas, I am merely gushing. You can purchase the resource here, 50% off, and I don't think you'll be disappointed!

"Being-Have"

I think one of the best scenes from one of my favorite films has to be when a father comes home from work to find his son playing out in the yard. "What are you doing, son?" he asks, to which his son recites, "I'm being quiet! I'm being good! I'm being-have!"

A problem with "being-have" or "behaving" is something that we tend to associate with riotous little boys --with four brothers five and under, I know I do. They are boundless little balls of energy for whom self-control can become a struggle. A few months ago, though, I was reminded that self-control isn't just something that energetic little tykes struggle with.