The Heart Revealed

"...for out the the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." -Matthew 12:34

“It’s not so much what you say

As the manner in which you say it;

It’s not so much the language you use

As the tone in which you convey it;

"Come here!" I sharply said,

And the child cowered and wept.

“Come here”, I said –

He looked and smiled

And straight to my lap he crept.

Words may be mild and fair

And the tone may pierce like a dart;

Words may be soft as the summer air

But the tone may break my heart;

For words come from the mind

Grow by study and art –

But tone leaps from the inner self

Revealing the state of the heart.

Whether you know it or not,

Whether you mean or care,

Gentleness, kindness, love and hate,

Envy, anger, are there.

Then, would you quarrels avoid

And peace and love rejoice?

Keep anger not only out of your words –

Keep it out of your voice.”

~Author Unknown

An Honorable Task

Sunlight filters through the window. As I peer out with sleepy eyes, I find glistening dew at the end of long shadows cast across summer grass. This new day is covered with the fingerprints of our magnificent Creator. His continued blessings rise with the sun this morning. Today school begins. The promise of learning is untied as the scroll of loosely structured days filled with wisdom and knowledge starts to unfold.

There is an element of excitement in the predictability of it all. The smell of new books will fill the air. Pencils will leave their mark on fresh pages. Blankets will cover a patch of grass where stories and poems will be read.

Of all the knowledge gained in math and science and history and art, I pray that I put the greatest emphasis on the One from whom true knowledge comes. We take no credit in our intellectual ability, yet how easily pride seeps into the heart. The intricacies of this world are profound, but how easily our wonderment wanes.

If I teach my children to see God's handiwork in every aspect of their lives, they have the tools to truly succeed. If they use their academic skills to glorify their Maker, their lives will have direction and purpose. My highest calling is to lead my children to Him with a pure heart. Only God can equip me for such an honorable task.

"Boast no more so very proudly, do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and with Him actions are weighed." 1 Samuel 2:3

Blackberry Summer

"And God said, 'See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.'"

~Genesis 1:29

How sweet to truly "taste and see that the Lord is good!" And furthermore, to have the opportunity in your own backyard! Each year our property brings forth an abundance of berries, and not just any berry-- blackberries. The richness they supply in both color and flavor is a testament to the supreme artistry of the Creator.

The delightful berries!

My mom, sister, and I travelled about the property seeking out our delicious little morsels. And boy did we find them! With the help of our blackberry-loving dog, Josie (who trotted ahead of us to the next patch of ripe blackberries), we were able to end victorious with a full bucket.

Me, Brittney, just beginning to pick.

Now, picking blackberries is a careful kind of business. One must be ever so gentle in the retrieval. If grabbed too tightly, the ripened berries may turn to mush. If grabbed too hastily, one is almost sure to be stuck by a thorn.

Mom, picking a delicious, ripe blackberry.

The summer sun was warm on our backs and the sweet symphony of nature was like a warm plate of cobbler: sweet to the senses and soothing to the soul. The vast blue sky was like glassy waters. It was as if one could be immersed in its refreshing clarity. For a short moment it was as if time stood still; as if the world had been stilled in its motion and it was just...us. Just this moment in the flourish of God's creation. O, how deep the Father's love for us!

Jessica, holding our bucket-full at the end of the picking spree.

We continued our trek along the winding path, seeking shade at every opportunity. After much seeking, finding, and picking we returned to the house to begin the tastier part of our journey :)



Bringing the berries, sugar, and fruit pectin to a boil.


Jessica and I cooked down the berries on the stove until they reached a more tender, juicy state. (On more than one occasion we had to stop ourselves from premature taste-tests.) Then we transferred the berries to a big pot and invited sugar and fruit pectin to the party. After the delicious concoction arrived at a boil...

Filling up our jam jars.

We poured them into the previously boiled jars. It looked so good!!! This part resulted in a slightly sticky mess.

Sealing the lids.

After screwing on the lids, we boiled the jars with the jam in them to help the lids seal. Again, we needed a big pot.

Scrumptious blackberry jam!

And...voila! Blackberry jam! (Which was quite delectable if I do say so myself)

On this day, many memories were made that cannot be captured in a picture or paragraph. The three of us-my sister, my mother, and I- have our very own snapshots and recollections of that special day.

Psalm 23:6 says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

The day of the blackberries was one of absolute goodness and mercy. There was goodness in the sweet time we were able to spend together. There was goodness in the love that was shared that day. There was goodness in the bond that was strengthened among the three of us. But most of all, there was mercy. Mercy in all that God allowed that day: a time of fellowship, a time of laughter, but above all, a time to simply feel the immeasurable wave of blessings that the good Lord showers upon us every day. Oh, that every day would feel like a blackberry summer.

~Brittney

A Beautiful Trip Around the Sun

I thought about my life today and how quickly everything has changed. Just last summer I had gotten engaged to a wonderful man, was busy planning a beautiful wedding, and only dreaming of and praying for what God might bring me in my married life. Fast forward twelve months to today. I have been married for almost seven months (to a wonderful man), I am sixteen weeks pregnant with a beautiful baby, and only dreaming of and praying for what God might do through this child's life. I am so thankful for this gift and will sing continuous praise to the One who not only gives life on this earth, but life for eternity.

Jessica

To Whom are We Submitting - Part 2

Ignoring the blessings in life on a day like this seems impossible. I am sitting in front of my computer, but just inches beyond that I see a white rocking chair beckoning me to enjoy this spring day. Its gentle nod assures me that my senses will be filled with a warm breeze, bird’s song, swaying branches and fragrant blossoms. My thoughts flash back to a year ago, and years before that, when I was sitting at a desk in a room with no windows. Every spare moment was spent making lists: lists to remind myself of things to discuss with my husband and children; lists of things to do at home every evening and weekend. I daydreamed about cleaning ceiling fans, organizing closets, grocery shopping, tilling the garden, planting flowers, and of course that was all followed by looming fretfulness. Not only did I wonder when and how I would get it all accomplished, I wondered how I would share any quality time with my family…and my Savior. A quick prayer here and there, and a peek at scripture over lunch was a shameful attempt at showing love for my Lord.

I had ventured off the path. Yes, I kept it in sight, but I wasn’t traveling the trail blazed specifically for me as a child of God, wife, and mother. In my heart, I knew I was not honoring God, therefore, I was dishonoring Him (it seems so obvious now!). It wasn’t that I felt the need to work outside the home. I thought it was a contribution to my family. It’s what is expected of a 21st century woman. It took me a while to fully accept that I was contributing to my family according to the world’s standards, not God’s. Thankfully, He left my spirit unsettled. He also led my husband and me to some wonderful people whom believe fully in God’s inerrant word. They illuminated scriptures we had read many times before, but didn’t accept at face value, specifically Titus 2:3-5.

“Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. “

Those words stung me! ”workers at home”…”subject to their own husbands”…”the word of God will not be dishonored” The words of the Almighty burned my heart with an undeniable conviction which produced a pliable lump of clay for Him to continue shaping. The Holy Spirit was speaking to me. He had been speaking to me for quite some time, but I wasn’t listening to Him. There is a difference between hearing something and listening. I hear many sounds, but until I deliberately listen I do not know what they are. My husband can say something to me. I hear him, but if I am distracted and not listening I don’t know what he is trying to say. Listening to the Lord requires putting aside the distractions in our lives and focusing on Him, only Him. I was allowing a film to develop on the windows of my heart and mind. Light could shine through, but it certainly was not clear.

Understand that I take full responsibility for my rebellion against God’s Word. But what I am about to say is crucial. This struggle with working outside the home went on for years. I spoke to many other Christians (and cried to some) about my unsettled feelings regarding working outside the home. I was very open about my concern with disobedience toward God. Repeatedly, I was assured that the Lord was in no way pleased or displeased with my choice of lifestyle. In fact, I was encouraged to remain working because I could impact so many other lives through my position in a public school. Depending far too much on others’ interpretation of Scripture, as well as my own sinful pride, I did not allow the Holy Spirit full reign in my heart to disclose the truth to me. This is an area in which I would urge anyone to be extremely cautious. Be ever so sensitive to convictions the Lord impresses on the heart; whether it be yours or someone else’s.

Liberty comes through the Spirit of the Lord. However, I am not to abuse that liberty for selfish fulfillment. Excuses can always be conjured up to justify our choices to keep one foot on the path while we deliberately let the other trail through the weeds. Counsel from others often feels good to the flesh, but not the spirit. However, discernment is vital in this human state. God’s Word in inerrant; it is the standard for our lives. He has presented the quintessence for which I am to strive as a godly woman. My testimony is exposed in how much of myself I am willing to relinquish to His will. Even the unbeliever can recognize when a professing Christian woman is not submissive to God’s Word or her husband. My unwillingness to submit can prove a stumbling block to my sisters in Christ. Pure scriptural truth must be illuminated if any of us are to practice full capitulation in sincere love and obedience.

Tranquility lies in a submissive heart. Blessings pour into marriages and families living to glorify the living God. Be encouraged…our Creator designed us, as women, for a specific purpose. Trust in His precepts.

Springtime and New Life

"For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand." -Psalm 139:13-18

At the precise moment that my heart was yearning to see those beautiful buds on the trees, Cherry Blossom blooms, and all other signs of new life that come to my Midwestern home in the springtime, the Lord placed in me a sign of new life incomparable to any other. On March 23rd I discovered that God had been secretly forming a child in my womb, seeing his (or her) substance, being yet unformed, and fashioning his days, when as yet there were none.

How thankful I am to my God for giving me this gift, this miracle. I pray that this baby is formed into a strong, healthy, newborn babe who will be placed in my arms to nurse and coddle to my heart's content. I also pray as Jeremiah 1:5 says, that even before my child is born, he is sanctified, set apart for a holy purpose. How delighted I am to have this new life growing inside of me, being sustained and nurtured by my own body and by the immeasurable love of my Lord. Marvelous are His works; I will praise His beautiful name!

~Jessica

My Content Heart was Born in the Kitchen

"...for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." -Philippians 4:11

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have."
-Hebrews 13:5

"A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked." -Psalm 37:16

"Now godliness with contentment is great gain." -1 Timothy 6:6

About six months before my husband and I began our life together as man and wife, he began preparing for our future by tearing apart the house he purchased. I mean literally, tearing apart, plaster, lathe, ceilings, floors, everything, down to the studs. All that was left of our future home was a skeleton and, of course, endless possibilities (at least as many as our budget would allow). My wonderful, creative, engineer, husband, reworked the whole layout of our quaint, 1904 farmhouse and opened up the floor plan beautifully! The master bedroom became the living room; the large living room became a bathroom and a second bedroom; the second bedroom became the kitchen, the kitchen became the master bedroom; and the laundry room became the master bathroom/closet. The only room in our whole house that remained in its original location was the dining room, and even it was modified.

Now that the background of our undertaking has been revealed, it may come as no surprise that "Mission Home" is not presently complete. Our house is quite livable, however and is even filled with many amenities that have only been seen as "necessary" in my own naive generation. But there was one aspect of the house, that before the wedding, I thought would not be near completion, and I would terribly long for- a kitchen. You see, I love to cook and I love to be in the kitchen, so knowing that I may not have an oven or a sink or a refrigerator or kitchen cabinets or a microwave for at least a year was somewhat disappointing, actually quite disappointing. No home cooked meals to eat with my hubby? No baking bread? No experimenting with new recipes? No kitchen? But still, I made the decision to be content with what I was given.

Our current kitchen setup


Well, we serve a God who cares for every aspect of our lives, and do you know what He did? He provided. Maybe not in any ways we may have anticipated, but the Lord provided all the same. A month before we were married, my husband attended a cabinet auction and brought home two cabinets (for five dollars a piece) that we were able to set up in the corner of our kitchen. Not long after that, a pastor friend and his wife told us that they were preparing to sell a large refrigerator, two pantry cabinets, and a counter top at a very affordable price. So in went the refrigerator, the pantry, and the counter top. A few weeks after the wedding, we bought (an extremely discounted) brand new, gas stove. It came out of a home my father-in-law had sold to an elderly lady who preferred to cook with an electric stove. This may have been the most exciting addition to our kitchen! Now we had everything except a kitchen sink, so we washed our dishes in the laundry tub that was serving as our bathroom sink until we could afford a "real" bathroom sink. When we did save up to by the "real" sink, we were able to move the laundry tub to the kitchen. Not only did we acquire all of this, but for Christmas, my husband's sisters gave us a microwave. Our kitchen had actually become a kitchen! Everything seemed so complete and I was so satisfied! So imagine my excitement a week ago when a friend of the family gave my husband and I cabinets and counter tops and when my husband's co-worker gave us a real kitchen sink! We were able to use two of the cabinets and the counter top (which had the perfect sized rectangular cutout) to set up our sink!


The new sink and cabinets


Do we have the perfect, Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens kitchen? No. But we do have a stove which allows me to prepare my husband's favorite foods, a refrigerator to store the ingredients and leftovers, counter tops on which to work (and experiment), a wonderful sink where I can clean up my messes, and plenty of space to store all of our dishes! It is perfect for us because it is what God provided! I will be fully satisfied with it because what the Lord has given us has magnified His name and demonstrated His love and power. In His awesome provision, God even made sure to provide the newest extra cabinets, leaving unused space for me to store the baby bottles that I just found out I will be needing in about nine months! Yes, we serve a very knowing, powerful, present, loving God!

~Jessica