by Kimberly | Dec 15, 2011 | Books, Uncategorized
Paul Tripp is decidedly one of my favorite authors. Tackling real-life issues and problems and matching them to the gospel – that is where he finds the rest and help that we need as sinners living in a fallen world. His books are always “ouch” and “amen” to quote Voddie Baucham.
A friend, Bonnie, and I have been reading this book together this year. It has been a little slower since I got married and she started dating, but now we are neighbors, so I’m hoping our book club continues. We read a couple of chapters then come together and talk about it: how it applies to our lives, our relationships, and the ministries we are involved in. Oh, Bonnie B, what will we read next?
PDT doesn’t mince words: he tells us we live in a fallen world full of sin. But, even as believers, we need and have the remedy. Jesus and the Gospel.
One of the perks to PDT books is you get just a hint of his poetry. Such a winner.
So, how do you live life in a fallen world? How do you deal with issues in your life that are a result of sin (because sin damages the entire world, not just your life). Death is in this world – that is a fact. But, Jesus has overcome death and has brought us life. We can live differently and with hope because we know this truth.
“At every point and every moment, your life is messier and more complicated than it really ought to be because everything is so much more difficult in such a terribly broken world.” (pg 17)
“Your Lord is the ultimate Restorer and He never rests. He calls you and me to live in this broken-down house with hearts of patience and eyes of promise. He calls us away from self-focused survival and to the hard work of restoration. He calls us away from paralyzing discouragement and the nagging desire to quite. He welcomes us to live in the patience and grace that only He can give.” (pg 21)
“There will be a war in your heart between what the Bible has to say about you and what you would like to think is true about you.” (pg 36). I often say to my husband, “my heart is ugly.” He has asked me to quit saying that or at least finish the statement: “but Jesus bought and paid for it anyway and is making it new.”
“Forgiveness, Christ’s gift to us, means that we can stand before God in all of our neediness, weakness, and moral failure and yet be utterly unafraid. Sinful people can stand before a holy God because Jesus took the penalty for our sin on Himself and satisfied the Father’s anger.” (pg 45). We talked about this at our breakfast table as we read in Is 53 part of the Advent story. The mystery and wonder and astonishment that substitutionary atonement of Christ for us is. Amazing.
“I am not to think of my life as separate from ministry, nor am I to think of ministry as separate from my life. I am to give myself to a way of living that views every dimension of human life as a forum for ministry. I don’t live with a willingness to occasionally minister. I am not open to ministry opportunities. No, I commit myself to live with a ministry mentality where my actions, reactions, and responses are more shaped by a desire to be a part of what God is doing on earth than to fulfill my personal wants and needs.” (pg 94) This should change our mindset as wives and see our home life (and taking care and loving our husbands) as ministry, and not see what we do as unimportant.
“in calling us to wait, God is freeing us from the claustrophobic confines of our own little kingdoms of one and drawing us into a greater allegiance to His Kingdom of glory and grace.” (pg 117)
“Pursue community. It can only happen when we are living in functional, biblical community with people who will again and again remind us of who we are. I need people in my life who will lovingly hold the mirror of the Word of God in front of me so that I can see how deep my struggle with sin still is. I need people who will confront my timidity and avoidance with the comforting, encouraging, embolderning realities of faith.” (pg 159). Thankful for girl friends, pastor friends, and my husband who do this for me.
by Kimberly | Dec 15, 2011 | photo shoot, Uncategorized
I had a sweet and fun photo shoot with a great family yesterday. here is a run down: best friend, cute kids, graffiti, learning code language for words I don’t need to know anyway, sunset, camera. Great evening! Thanks for letting me be a part of it!
by Kimberly | Dec 12, 2011 | Uncategorized
I hate having to leave the house before my husband.
I am very glad I am married to the baton-throwing, choir/orchestra director for Peace on Earth which was the FBC Durham Christmas musical last night. He did a great job! And he took today off! PTL!
Two opportunities have been laid in my lap before February 21 – pray for me as I make the most of those opps!
Christmas is upon us. Some people hate Christmas. I don’t hate it. I find the season to be a little stressful, but E has helped me out of some of that – and for that I am grateful.
Love this post on femininity posted by Tim Challies.
Will this gender-neutral zone ever happen in America? What will you teach your children?
Um, I may make these this holiday season. 🙂
Do you like to send cards or invites or recipe cards or anything else you can have to write on the back?
by Kimberly | Dec 7, 2011 | Uncategorized
Christmastime is a little frazzled isn’t it? Lines are longer, traffic is more congested, seems like everyone is a little crankier, money is tighter (oh, but the credit cards)…my friend Abbey Cooler wrote a blog post about balance: especially for wives and mothers, but you can take the principles and use them no matter what stage of life you are in. Be encouraged, friends.
Finding Balance
Laundry, dishes, meals, playgroups, date nights and time with family and friend..how do we maintain the balance? Who in scripture can we look to for direction and instruction?
Like many Christian women, I grew up in the church and grew up hearing about the great Proverbs 31 woman (Proverbs 31:10-31). This seeming perfect woman has been drilled into my head. . I grew up going to Sunday School, choir, GA’s, Wednesday night supers and youth retreats. I was saved at the age of eight but I have been a Baptist since birth. Every year on Mother’s Day I heard messages on “her”. Every youth trip and college retreat I ever attended would have a “girls only” session, and we were given instruction on how to become the Proverbs 31 women. During my single days in my twenties I read every book that Lifeway or the Family Christian Bookstore carried on becoming the Proverbs 31 women. Then in 2006 I became a wife and in 2008 I became a mother. Then all my knowledge I had and all the plans I had made about being the perfect woman went out the window!
Before I had my daughter I always said that when I become a mother, my house will stay spotless, my child will follow every word of Babywise and I will NEVER leave the house without looking like I just walked out of an Ann Taylor catalogue. I was never going to be one of those “frumpy, stay at home moms”. Then I actually had a baby, who was premature, on a three hour feeding schedule, and who had gas, constipation and reflux! One afternoon I realized we were out of diapers and formula and I needed to run up to the local grocery store. I got dressed, got my daughter ready, and headed to Kroger! I took my time in the store, bought the formula and diapers, and went back out to my car. As I was about to pull out of the parking space, I looked in my review mirror. That is when I notice the dried sweet potato in my eye brow! So much for being the perfect, Proverbs 31 woman who has her life balanced and figured out!
After that embarrassing but funny incident at the local Kroger, I thought to myself, “It’s time to regroup”. How can I can I complete everything on my “to do list”, spend time with my friends, family, husband and child, and maintain a dynamic walk with the Lord. As I thought about and prayed about my “regroup”, three “P’s” came to my mind. Even though it has been eight years since I finished seminary I have a hard time giving an explanation without using three points (or four points in this case) and alliteration!
1. Plan: Plan meals, plan your grocery list, plan your days, plan when you will do housework, put plans on your calendar and plan ahead for all things unexpected. By making plans you can take the seemingly endless to do list that we all have in our lives, and break it down into smaller chunks of times, so we do not get overwhelmed. Like my mother always told me, “Plan your work and work your plan”!
2. People: It is so very important to maintain the relationships with those special people in your life. They are your family, friends, husband and children. Make time in your daily, weekly and monthly life in order to grow, nurture and invest in to these relationships. This can be a playgroup with friends, date night with your husband, or celebrating special occasions with family members.
3. Perspective: At the end of the day, have the right perspective. When your child is eighteen, graduates from high school and moves from under your roof, what will they remember? Will they remember your house being spotless, eating organic, homemade food for every meal, and their clothes always being perfectly pressed or will they remember that you loved them unconditionally and invested in their lives?
4. Pray: Above all, cover your family, friends, household, spouse, children, with prayer. God has commanded us to pray without ceasing. You can pray at each red light, over your children while they sleep, at mealtime with your family, and all throughout the day. By seeking God and His will first, everything else in your life will fall into place.
So while you and I continue to try and strive to become a well balance woman, like the the Proverbs 31 women, we need to give ourselves a break. It is okay to stop and have a cup of coffee and read a book during naptime instead of making, cleaning or picking up something. It is okay after a difficult day, to run by Little Caesars and pick up at $5 pizza. You and I need to remember that God’s grace is sufficient and we need to give ourselves some, each and every day!
by Kimberly | Dec 6, 2011 | Uncategorized
Kroger can do wonders to your mental state. (I’m kidding, sorta).
I went to Kroger on Saturday and it was one of many items on my to-do list: including a wedding, decorating for Christmas, writing, etc. Well, needless to say, Kroger took longer than I wanted. There were no buggies, waiting, pride, couldn’t find items I need, so the searching began. Tried for lower priced, so that took some time, Kroger is expensive (in my opinion).
So, by the time I got home I literally had 1 hour to fix lunch (bring on tuna helper), take a shower, get dressed, and leave for the wedding. It did happen, but not without a tearful conversation in the kitchen with my husband.
During our quiet time that morning (we usually have our quiet time, seperately, but next to each other on the couch), we were talking about ______ subject. (Really, the subject isn’t important, and maybe not knowing will help you apply these truths to your personal situation). I didn’t respond much right then but was just pensive and thinking about we went back to our reading. Kroger was fine as well as my other errands. But, then I came home, stood in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil, and started sobbing.
My poor dear husband, didn’t know what in the world had brought that on? Where did all of this come from? (Oh, ladies, he lives out that verse very well that says live with her in an understanding way, praise the Lord!) He took my face in his hands and said these words to me, “Be at peace! Be comforted!”. They were spoken soft and sweetly and were exactly what I needed to hear. He spoke the gospel to my heart (because true peace and comfort can only come because of Jesus).
We read this morning in Isaiah 7 (our advent reading for today) that His peace will increase. We pondered that. Without looking at a commentary or my Logos Bible software…here is what I took away. Jesus is coming. Praise the Lord. We now live in the Jesus has come and is coming again. His reign of peace will have no end – and actually, the deeper we go into Christ, the more peace we will know. The song lyric from a popular Christmas carol that has stuck with me this holiday season is “the weary world rejoices”. We are all tired, flustered, bothered by something, anxious about a given situation, in an argument at one time or another…listen to my husband… “Be at Peace”
Jesus knew that the disciples would need a comforter after He returned to the Father, so He said he would promise (and He followed through) with the Comforter – the Holy Spirit. John 15-17 and Acts 1-2 tells us that this Holy Spirit is powerful and can do wonders in our lives for His glory. One thing He wants to do in our lives (all of ours) is to bring us peace and bring us comfort. There is no need to concern ourselves with things that are ultimately out of our control. God is definitely in control of all matters.
And, I need to want to bring a comfort and peace to our home – and I’m striving for that (and failing some days). And, my husband does a fabulous job at staying calm and bringing me peace and the gospel.
What areas of your life do you need peace in this holiday season? Is Christ reigning in your heart – He is the one who guards your heart so you can stay at peace.
(Photo was taken last New Year’s Ever at Sip: A Wine Store in Cary, NC)
by Kimberly | Dec 5, 2011 | Uncategorized
Hey folks (whoever you are – let me know if you are reading this, just to say hi!)
Can I tell you how much I love being married? I love the security of my husband’s love (through Christ). I love the fact that I go to bed and wake up with him every day. I love Fridays because we both have off and we get to hang out and eat Thai food together and shop for clothes! I love knowing that I can tell him how my day has been and he actually wants to hear about it. I love that I can just sobbing in the kitchen on a Saturday and he’ll put his arms around me (more on that later).
1. What do you with the question “why”?
2. How do you keep white space in your calendar during the holidays? Is that important to you or do you go full throttle and pick the pieces in January?
3. Some of my friends are leaving RDU – that always makes me sad – but excited for them.
4. I love intentional relationships. Knowing that I can be real with people and they will still love me and encourage me. And on the flip side, surfacy relationships are more difficult for me.
5. I am learning there is much pride in my life. My heart is ugly – but bought for – and God keeps santifying it more and more each day. That is His purpose in my life: to make me more like Christ.
6. Wives/mothers: do you have a housekeeping schedule? What is it? Would you share?
7. I liked this post by Tim Challies about women and the public reading of Scripture in corporate worship.
8. I think every woman should study theology. Note: I didn’t say every woman needs to attend seminary: but every woman who professes Christ needs to study about God. Here is an excellent post on the subject.
9. We decorated our first Christmas tree together last night. We picked up the tree on Friday and then finally had time to decorate it last night. How fun – and there were (thankfully) not “discussions” (hint: arguments).
10. Leave it to Stephen Altrogge to lay it down about America’s shopping habits.
11. What are your Christmas plans and what was your first Christmas like when you first got married? Just curious!
Enjoy the beginning of December! This month has a magical feel to it. Soak it up.
