Poll

I enjoyed this last poll! Here are the results:

2 voted for Amy Carmichael
3 voted for Eric Liddell
3 voted for J. O. Fraser
1 voted for Gladys Aylward
2 voted for Jim Elliot
1 voted for Darlene Deibler Rose

The reason why I didn't state the answers sooner is because I wanted to include an article about each person, but don't have one for Amy Carmichael.. but then I decided I don't have to go in order, so.... Keep an eye out for a short bio about Eric Liddell tomorrow!

And keep your eye out for a new poll! Then let me know what you vote. It's fun. ;-)

Encouraging Quote...

...here.

Just what I needed.

Moss for the Master's Feet

"What did it matter if we were noughts? It was for the Lord our God to write the figure to head that row of noughts. He Himself was the Figure. And we saw our calling, how that we were truly of no account ("like a shell disinhabited") that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Nothing anyone thought of us could reach lower down that that, no one could ever count us less than we were. But he that is down need fear no fall. He that is down cannot get between God and His glory. And we knew then that there was nothing that He could not do through us if only we were nothing.

It was then that a prayer came that we have often used since in our Fellowship life,

Oh, we're too high, Lord Jesus, we implore Thee,
Make of us something like the low green moss
That vaunteth not, a quiet thing before Thee,
Cool for Thy feet, sore wounded on the Cross.

And it was then, too, that those fathomless words became our very own: "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and tings which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.' "

-Amy Carmichael, Gold Cord, pages 60-61 (italics from the text)

My Lifelong Friend is Being "Discontinued"!?!?!?

I remember the day she first entered my life… I was almost seven years old. My aunt had come out for Christmas, and as usual, the holiday was filled with anticipation. Beneath the decorated tree in the corner of the living room were numerous “packages, boxes, and bags”, each exciting wonder and interest in me. When no one was looking, I would crawl under that tree and feel some of the packages to see if I could guess what was in them.

There were two boxes in particular that drew me. They were equal in size—about 20½” by 8”. One was addressed to me. The other was addressed to Amanda. What could be in them? I had only to wait for Christmas Day to find out.

It came with the usual Christmas excitement and long waiting that Christmas mornings always seem to bring in books—and I always viewed my life as a book. Amanda and I hurried out of our beds as soon as we woke up and ran to see what we had in our stockings. Daddy Clause had been there during the night. We found a fun assortment of goodies—Riesens, a toothbrush, a TY beanie baby, and some other things. We had to wait a little while longer before we could find out what was under the tree.

Once we finally had everyone gathered, we began to open gifts… and as usual, the most intriguing was saved until last. In my usual fashion, I tore off the green wrapping paper, and to my delight, saw the emblem written on the white box: The American Girl Collection. With a gasp of rapture, I ripped off the tape that held the box closed and lifted the top. There, sleeping comfortable with her mouth parted slightly and her long, dark lashes brushing her cheeks, was the doll of my dreams—Kirsten. Her smooth blonde hair was braided on either side of her part and looped up just like I had seen in the catalogue, and she wore her lovely blue sprigged dress. And there was the first book in her series, and a separate box of her accessories! What thrill!

Mommy told me not to take her braids out—she knew what would happen when I did. When I finally got permission, the inevitable happened… poor Kirsten’s hair became quite the rats nest. I only have gotten it tamed in the last couple years, though I think the damage is irreparable—she has some very frazzled ends.

Oh the fun we had, Amanda and I, with Kirsten and Felicity! I remember going to Campobello with our cousins, and purposefully driving my cousins crazy with Kirsten’s voice. One of my clearest memories of our childhood friend Megan was playing dolls with her—she had Samantha—and when the boys would come bother us, we would start undressing our dolls to get them to go away. (Terrible, I know!) Grama bought me a new outfit for Kirsten every birthday and Christmas, so I have almost the whole collection. I stopped collecting only a couple years ago, but I must say, it’s been hard to give up dolls. Kirsten still sits on my bed, and I dress her and do her hair now and then.

With all this said, you can imagine my dismay when I received a copy of the October 2009 American Girl catalogue and read the terrible words:

"SOON WE WILL SAY FAREWELL TO KIRSTEN."

WHAT!?!?!?! Silly as it may sound, I was nearly devastated. Discontinue Kirsten, as they discontinued Samantha? Whatever for? (They haven’t even made her movie yet! :-( ) I have always loved Kirsten, not only because she was my doll, but also because of her stories—the exciting pioneer spirit has always enraptured me. And now to discontinue her—little girls like I once was will not be able to have the enjoyment I had in her. Poor Kirsten. I would really like to know why American Girl is discontinuing some of their beloved characters.

WAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

American Girl has been an important part of my growing-up. But I am very disappointed to see some of the decisions they have been making. Also, I have come to see that while they have great stories, in their desire to help girls solve life’s problems and such, they do not offer Biblical solutions to life’s problems. Instead they offer a philosophy that says, “Follow your inner star.” (Whatever that means!) One of my dreams—perhaps it is a wild one—is to create something like American Girl, but Christ-centered, so that children will have godly “friends” (book characters and dolls) who will help them to want to honor Christ. Mission City Press has made some of those available in their Elsie, Millie, Violet, Laylie, and Kathleen books and dolls, but they have recently shut their doors and discontinued all their characters. :-) So maybe one day the Lord will allow me to reach out to children and give them a mix of what American Girl and A Life of Faith have given me. We’ll see where he leads! I know how to write the stories, but how to have dolls made, and how to sell them, I have no idea! :-)

By the way, I am not saying farewell to Kirsten! She’s a-stayin’ on my bed! :-) And my little friends who don’t get a Kirsten on time are welcome to come and play with her. :-)

Update on Denise

Thank you all so much for your prayers for Denise!

Denise was put on dialysis which has helped bring her numbers up, so things are looking a little better for her, and there has been some improvement, but she is still not out of the woods yet, and things could change quickly. So please do continue to pray for her.

Most importantly: My mom talked to my aunt (Denise's step-mom) yesterday, and we learned that it is doubtful whether Denise actually knows the Lord. Of course, we cannot know that; only the Lord does. But please do keep her especially in your prayers, that the Lord would bring her out of this illness that He might bring her unto-- or closer to-- Himself.

Thank you all!

PLEASE PRAY!

I'd like to ask you guys to pray for my step-cousin, Denise. (She is my aunt's husband's daughter from a first marriage.) She is dying from H1N1 (swine flu) which developed from pneumonia. She is on life support now; the doctors have done all they could for her.

But God is more powerful than all the technology man can come up with. Will you all please pray that the Lord would show Himself strong, and, if it is His will, that He will heal Denise in a miraculous way so that people will see His glory and know His power? And that if He chooses to take her to Himself, that He would comfort and strengthen Uncle Everett and Aunt Golda and the rest of the family. As most of you know, my aunt (and my mom) lost her mom, both grandmas, and her sister's sister-in-law within the last couple years; this must be really hard for her.

I have never met Denise, but she is my cousin and I am asking you girls to unite in prayer for her and for her family!

Thanks so much! <3

O.A.I. Syndrome

O.A.I. Syndrome:
Over Active Imagination Syndrome

Definition: a disposition in which one daydreams and concentrates on their thoughts so much that they transport her into a different world, and she becomes prone to nervousness, emotion, and culture shock when brought back

Okay, so maybe that was overworded, but so it seems. I am a severe culprit; it takes its toll on me daily. Just curious as to how many of my friends here suffer from the same syndrom. Allow me to share a few examples of my own O.A.I.

One of the best examples is found in this post.

Another happened just the other month. We were driving to a fire station some 45-50 minutes away for a charity dinner, and to pass the time, I was looking at Reminisce magazines. The tales of days gone wrapped their cords around me and held me back in the world of Victory gardens, bobbed and curled hair, wearing hats and gloves to church, and driving in antique models of cars. Then we arrived at the fire station, and as I walked in, I had this wave of culture shock, like I had stepped forward 60 years into the future! People bustled around me in jeans, fire station T-shirts, and cellphones. I felt ever so out-of-place. Some little Boy Scouts were serving the food, and I felt like they were a little more in place with my world, in their brown Boy Scout outfits and their freckled faces.
Very strange.

Another example is the time I was planning for a story about two brothers at the beginning of World War II in Europe-- one was actually adopted, and a Jew, and the other was very politically active in trying to hinder the Nazi movement. I had planned that in the end one of the brothers died, and I thought so much about it that I got depressed.

:-P

So tell me whether you have O.A.I. Syndrome! I'd love to know I'm not the only strange one out there. Any crazy stories like mine? :-P

P.S. I like to tell kids that my superpower is time travel. ;-)

Let Him Deny Himself ...and Go to the Chopping Block Daily

"And [Jesus] said to them all,
'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow me.'"

A thought occurred to me yesterday as I was reading this verse in the Gospel of Luke.

Jesus said this before he died on the cross so the disciples weren't thinking of His sacrifice and death when He said it. Their thoughts probably turned to terrible scenes they had seen and horrible stories they had heard, of people writhing in agony as they died for some terrible crime. "Taking up one's cross" probably did not strike them as a beautiful and poetic image. It probably struck them the same way it would strike us if our pastor said, "Deny yourself and slip your neck into the noose." Or, "Deny yourself and put your head on the chopping block." Or, "Deny yourself and walk into a Nazi concentration camp."

Jesus was talking about death-- death to self. And it is not always an easy death. It is often very hard to say "no" to our own wants and "yes" to God's desires and other's needs. It is often hard to resist the devil. It is hard to give up things we hold dear for something far greater (for what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?)

How strong my flesh, how weak my will, how lacking my love for God and others! I could probably list 15 to 30 times (or more!) that I have gone my own way today, in specific instances, rather than God's-- whether it be in my thoughts, attitudes, or actions. O Lord, set my affections on things above and my heart on doing Your will. Let me be willing to die-- not necessarily in some grand martyrdom way that will inspire people to write lengthy and numerous novels about all my great feats-- no, let me die that daily death, the hourly death, even moment by moment... and live unto You.

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."

From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified)
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

-Amy Carmichael, Gold Cord

Convicting Words

Note: I heard the following song on the amazing Christian film, "Fireproof", and as the words I heard were so amazingly true, I asked my friend, Toria, for the rest of the lyrics. While the beat in the song may be a little too heavy for some, the words are no-fluff, Biblical, and convicting! It is mainly written for dads and families, but can be very applicable to every Christian. Think about these words.


Slow Fade
by Mark Hall, Casting Crowns

Be careful little eyes what you see;

It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings.

Be careful little feet where you go,

For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow.

(Chorus)

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away;

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray.

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away.

People never crumble in a day.

It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade.

Be careful little ears what you hear;

When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near.

Be careful little lips what you say,

For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray.

(Chorus)

The journey from your mind to your hands

Is shorter than you're thinking.

Be careful if you think you stand;
You just might be sinking.

(Chorus)

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man." (Mark 7:21-23)

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

P.S. Sorry about the font sizes; I was having a hard time getting them the way I wanted them. :-S