Thanksgiving!

Today is Thanksgiving. I'm not American and we don't do Thanksgiving here but how I wish we did- we've so many things to be thankful for. Which got me thinking, what am I thankful for?

Salvation- Having been a Christain since I was about 5 sometimes I just take this forgranted, but when we truely sit back and look at what we're saved from and the fact that Jesus took our punishment just because He loved us we should liev every moment in thankfulness to Him.

My Husband- Apart from my salvation, being married is the best thing ever to happen to me. I love Trev so so so much. I really thought that I was never going to get married and then one day he just appeared and next thing we were married, God has amazing plans and i'm so thankful to Him for bringing us together. He is the best husband EVER!

Our House- I love our house so much. We looked at some awful places before we found our house and I was beginning to think we were never going to get anywhere nice for waht we could afford, but we did!

My Parents- Sometimes my parents used to drive me crazy when I was younger because I felt that they were so strict, but now i'm so thankful to them for how they brought us up and what an amazing example they were of a godly marriage and life. I am so thankful that my mum stayed at home to look after us and for all the support my parents were and still are to me.

Our Family- My family seems to have grown loads in the past few years through marriage and babies, i'm so thankful for them all, sometimes I miss the nosiness of the dinner table but i'm so thankful for all the fun times growing up and the fact that when were all gathered now it's just as noisy. I'm so thankful that, as much as I love my brothers that in the end God gave me a sister too!

Our Church- I really am thankful for my church, that it preaches the truth. I'm thankful for all those who taught me in Sunday School and Youth Meetings and for my dad and his preaching at church.

Friends- I'm thankful for my friends, most of whom i've known for ever. I'm thankful for their encouragement and all the fun and laughter they provide.

Jobs- I'm thankful that i've a job and Trev does at the minute anyway. Sometimes I really really don't enjoy it but when so many people are out of work i'm thankful that we're able to make ends meet.

My Education- I'm so thankful that I live in a country where good education is free. I'm thankful for both my primary and Grammar schools and for the fact that at Grammar school there were so many christians pupils and teachers. I'm also thankful that I was able to go to University, even though I never use my degree now i'm thankful that God gave me the opportunity to study!

Our Freedom- I'm thankful that we live in a free country. There are trials are christians are becoming increasingly unpopular but we can still meet together with other believers without fear, tell others about our faith and follow Christ.

So much to be thankful for and I could go on and talk about the beautiful Northern Ireland or books but I really must stop!

Books for Little Historians

Growing up I was a bit of a church history nerd. I loved doing my Sunday School project every year about a missionary from the past. My favourite class ever at school was Early Church History. I loved it. When I got to University I took two first year modules in it and was so excited about final year when I could choose to focus on Church History in my Ancient History degree, but then the lecturer took a sabbatical and I ended up doing Athenian Law. True story and yes it's as boring as it sounds. I love the stories of those who stood for their faith in the early days, through to the reformation and those who took the gospel throughout the world more recently. I've always loved getting biographies when I was younger and recently there have been a few books bringing these stories to life for really little ones...

Little Lights Series

Published by Christian Focus

These 8 books tell the stories of 8 people who have influenced the church or gone to share the gospel in a far off corner of the world. Without a doubt these are my favourite in biographical books for little ones. They are colourful and on one page have a more detailed story while on the opposite page the same story simplified for the very young. The series is broad, including John Calvin, Martin Luther, Helen Roseveare, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, George Muller, Hudson Taylor and David Livingstone. I particularly like the ones on Calvin and Luther as these men played such a significant role in the shaping of our theology and it's never too young to learn about them.

Heroes of the Faith Series

Published by Banner of Truth

I've tried to really like this series, I really have but I don't know how I feel about them really. They have amazing potential but somewhere along the line I feel they've missed the target. To be fair, I've never actually tested them out on a child but I've no idea what age they're for. They have a lot of text but yet their layout is that of a large picture book and it looks a little 1980's in style. The content is good though!

The Church History ABC's

Published by Crossway

This is a really colourful book which covers 26 people from church history, starting with Augustine, it has one individual for each letter of the alphabet. It is a really fun book which although not providing a lot of information on each character provides an introduction to many who the child my want to learn more about.

Blessings

We so often complain. About the weather, about the Health Service (people seem to complain ALOT about that these days), about the traffic on the way home from work, about not having a job, and so it continues. However, here we are so blessed. Some people would give anything to have rain like we have to make their crops grow or to have a free Health Service. Recently on so many blogs I read and in other places too people have been counting their blessings. It's such a hard thing to do at times, but when we do we realise that we are blessed so much, far far beyond what we deserve.

Today i'm rejoicing in the fact that my husband has a job again, for now anyway, and that our money stretched fine while he didn't. These are very obvious blessings, however when you look below the surface there are so so many other blessings in our lives, like a precious new nephew who we babysat for the first time on Wednesday, for a stable job for me, for new students at the Bible Study we help at and so the list could go on and on...

Just counting your blessing makes you realise what an awsome God we serve!

I've never been a great fan of the following Hymn, I think it's the tune, but the words ring true:

"Count your blessings name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

Grumpy Day

It was one of those days. I wasn't feeling well but I had to go to work. I didn't want to go to work anyway, but I had to because my husband coudn't get a job and our plans kept falling apart. It was cold and wet. Customers kept opening the door making the shop colder. Then they kept moaning at me over things I had no control over or patronising me at the end of the transaction. Didn't they know that I didn't even want to be here, that i'd rather be at home with a baby or two, but that through a series of events, totally outside of my husbands control, here I was, temporarily the main bread winner and that their moaning in my ear was only increasing my already thumping headache? Then to top it all off, in came some children's book I hadn't ordered. As I huffed and puffed about soemone ordering some light weight childrens book over my head, I began to flick through it, and there it was, 1 Peter 3: 15. The text we chose to have engraved inside our wedding rings, the verse which my mum cross stitched for us and now hangs on the wall in our hall:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.

I'd heard the verse so many times but it spoke home to me so much that day. I wasn't revering Christ as Lord. I wasn't trusting that his plans were far greater than ours. Wayne Grudem says:

"To reverence Christ as Lord means to really believe and insist that God not ones human openents is truely in control of events."

It all seemed so easy when we got it inscribed on our wedding rings, but day to day reality can make it so much harder. But we must and when we truely do, it's such an encouragement, even on those days when nothing goes right!

Harvest Thoughts

We went to a Harvest Service last night. Trev was speaking, although he didn't realise that it was a harvest, but anyway the church was decorated for harvest and we sang about creation and thanked God for His provision so in that way it was a harvest...

Harvest and autumn always make me think of the beautiful earth which God created for us, his bountiful provision and Psalm 8 verses 3 and 4 in particular:

"When I regard the Heavens you made, you fingers work I trace;

I see the moon and shining stars

Which you have set in place.

I ask myself, "What then is man

that you should give him thought-

The son of man, that you to him

such gracious care have brought?"

So often we get caught up in what we don't have right now that we lose sight of the bigger picture, that He who created the earth, He who set the stars in place, cares for us. He cares that we have enough food on our table, he cares about the tiny little details of our life, even though so often we are too wrapped up in ourselves to even notice.

So at this Harvest season let's remember that the God who made the ENTIRE universe cares that we, as insignifigant as we are, have enough to eat.

Psalm from Sing Psalms Edition

Photo: Portstewart, Northern Ireland

Friendship Blessings

There are four of us, always has been always will be, Ang, Rach, Clare and I. We met more years ago than I now care to remember, but it must be over 20. We journeyed together through Primary School and Grammar school and through University, and then we dispersed each to pursue our own lines of work, all so very different but yet with so many shared experiences.

We spoke last night in a coffee shop of how much has changed since we left school. No longer do we see each other every day , often months can pass without a proper catch up and when we do meet someone is often absent, be that due to work or babies or just the general business of life. Our lives have taken such different paths than we ever dreamed when we left the gates of school 8 years ago, tragedy and heart break and marriage and children and employment have a way of doing that to our innocent hopes.

However although on the surface so much is different, deep down inside we're still the same people really. And last night I was reminded of what a sweet sweet blessing these girls are to my life. How we can always start where we left off, how we can laugh and cry and know that we can be ourselves and not be judged. I may not have an abundance of friends but those I have make up for it in quality!

Books for Children

We don't have any children yet, but children's books are something which really excite me. Currently i'm in-charge of the Childrens department in the Christian bookshop where I work. I love trawling blogs and websites and meeting with reps, looking for books for children that are not only biblically accurate and will ground them well in the faith, but that are also attractive so that they will actually want to look at them!. These are some of my favourite books at the moment which I can't wait to share with our children (hopefully) in the future.

Big Bible Story Book
I love love love this book. The pictures are amazing and the message is clear. It goes through the whole Bible outlining the plan of God. Unlike nearly all the other Bible story books on the market this one links up the stories meaning that they are not abstract and it also covers way more stories than most others. As it outlines the plan of God as found in scripture it clearly outlines the gospel in a way that little people will understand.


Our Home is Like a Little Church and What is the Church?
These books are both written as a sort of rhyme. Our Home is Like a Little Church shows pre-schoolers the doctrine of the home as a place of worship where the father teaches his family God's commands while What is the Church? shows little ones that the church is much more than just a building. The rhyme makes it easy to remember and the illustrations are lovely too.


Grumpy Day, Rag Doll, Over the Fence and The Birthday Party
These four books are so lovely, I really hope they add to the series.They contain a simple story which a child can relate to, be that getting a new doll or having a day when everything goes wrong and then a simple bible truth at the end.

Living Differently

So I hope that this doesn't come over as a self righteous rant, because that is not what it is at all it's just something that's beginning to drive me c.r.a.z.y. It's the issue of whether or not we are different from the world. I'm sick and tired of people complaining that it's difficult to be a christian, that it's difficult not to go here or there when everyone else is. Jesus never promised it was going to be easy. His disciples didn't think it was easy when He who they had followed for the last few years was crucified. The early church didn't think it was easy when they were thrown to the Lions for proclaiming Christ. Throughout the ages people have found it hard to follow Christ, He said Himself that "If anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."Mark 8:34 ESV

So, yes it may be difficult not to go to that place if everyone we know is going. It may be unpopular to stand up for what we believe in. It may be against the grain if we don't wear the latest fashion which may not be Christ honouring. But surely this is all part of denying ourselves. It means that we will be different from 'The World'. We wont want to be different because of legalistic reasons but rather out of a love for Christ that overflows into obedience to Him.

What an amazing impact would be had on the world if believers genuinely took up Christ's command to deny ourselves and follow Him. If people could really see a difference in the lives of those who follow Him. Jesus never said it would be easy but surely if we are truely thankful for what He had done for us the temporary mocking or loneliness is insignificant.

Baking Pride

I have a confession to make. I am a horrific baker. I mean I can make cookies and victoria sponge and that is that. EVERYTHING else I attempt ends in catastrophe. No matter how closely I follow the recipe it doesn't work, it just ends up a crumbly sort of mess and my kitchen ends up covered in the ingredients.

So, to many people this may not be a big deal. I mean I could just buy baked goods and anyway my husband doesn't like cake and can't eat milk chocolate, but to me it's a massive out of proportion kind of thing, and the more I try the more upset and frustrated I get. You see my Mum and Granny are fantastic bakers, I grew up in a home where there were always amazing scones and cakes, I hope one day to be a full time housewife and most significantly in the future I’m going to be a Ministers wife. Basically all these things make me feel that I have to make the most amazing traybakes. That I have to find amazing recipes, that I can't just stick to my cookies and cake which I know work but instead have to stress myself out making things that don't work for me, before and after work making me exhausted, angry and creating havoc in the kitchen. What's worse, because Trev can't eat chocolate I generally only make these when I have to bring baking to church, thus stressing me out even more when I’ve nothing presentable to bring.

After a particularly disastrous baking episode last night and this morning before work, were out of THREE trays of traybakes I got 13 that can be brought to a meeting in church tonight, I have decided that this needs evaluation...

So much of my frustration about this is down to pride. I want to be thought of highly by others, for people to praise me and seriously, that is just wrong. I want to be that picture of a perfect kind of Ministers daughter and wife (which does not exist.) As believers we are not to look for the praise of man, rather such things should be done with a quiet servant heart. So from now on I’m only going to make the things I know I can make to bring to gatherings, even though they may not look the prettiest... and maybe one day with a lot of practice I may be able to bake something other than cookies and sponge!

Starting Over

It's been a long long time since I posted... generally this can be down to two pathetic reasons,
1. I don't like the way this blog looks. At all. Once I could work out how to make my blog pretty, somewhere I seem to have lost all that knowledge and now it's black and grey.

2. I don't really have a whole lot to say. I love blogs about baking, babies, child rearing, homemaking.... but currently i've so little to day on any of these. Right now we're facing unemployment and waiting on what God has in store for us in the future.

But then I thought a blog is meant to be about life. About the here and now about the little aspects of every day life that you want to remember for years to come. Life is not perfect, it doesn't always fall into place like we want it too. But it is what it is... and God has it his hands.

So i'm not sure this makes any sense, but basically... let's blog about real life, now, rather than waiting until all our dreams come true.

Dug Down Deep

When I first met my husband my siblings convinced him that I was a dedicated follower of Joshua Harris' I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl. They led him into believing that if Josh said it, I believed it, no questions asked. I will admit there was a time when this may have almost been the case and I was often found stuffing Harris' dating guidlines down peoples throats! Although these days I may not be so accepting of all of Harris' views I still feel that he has so much beneficial to say to us. In Stop Dating the Church he moved on from dating to a practical theology of the church and this was for a while top of my favourite books list. It was then with great excitement that I awaited the publication of Dug Down Deep.

And I was by no means dissapointed. I feel that Dug Down Deep met a real gap in the market, a summary of doctrine which is readable but which doesn't by-pass difficult issues. It covers issues such as redemption, sanctification and the Holy Spirit but not in a distant and detached manner. The book starts with Harris' spiritual journey and why this is the truth that he believes. In a day in which many young people don't care about theology and doctrine and don't think about why they believe, what they belive I feel that this is important.

In issues such as speaking in tongues I can't agree with him but he deals with such issues of controversy in a fair and gracious manner. However, this is essentially not a book about Joshua Harris, this is a book about God and what he did through his Son for us and what this means for our lives today. It highlights again that doctrine isn't just for those in Theological Colleges or dark pannelled study's. It is for all of us. If we fail to grasp the basics and have an inadequate understanding of issues such as redemption, sanctification and the Holy Spirit, then it will affect how we live our lives, in a negative way. If we truly understand then our lives will be an example of 'Humble Orthodoxy'.

Waiting.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Psalm 27:14

Our life is characterised by the immediate. Even compared to a few centuries ago our lives have taken on a sense of urgency, a sense of needing things now and if we have to wait, well we'll not bother. We expect an immediate reply to our text or email, we don't want to wait for that bus which is late again, we want our dinner to be ready now.

However sometimes we have to wait. In this time of waiting we need to be patient and wait on Him whose timing is perfect. As Spurgeon said:

"Wait on the Lord." Wait at his door with prayer; wait at his foot with humility; wait at his table with service; wait at his window with expectancy.

We shouldn't waste times of waiting. The primary activity in waiting shouldn't be waiting. Rather it should be a time when we can serve Christ better. A time when we can share His truth and love and become more like Him.

Starting Over (perhaps)

So once upon a time I had a Blog... and one day for some totally unknown reason I deleted all of my posts. So here's a new blog, we'll see how long it lasts...