Planet rockames.com

Cartagena Familia - Jensen and Autumn: cartagenafamilia

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:52:17 +0000

So, although it’s only September 3, we technically started our challenge on Monday. And so far, so good. We made it the whole week, making dinners at home, and most importantly, NOT going to the grocery store. We did eat out for lunch twice but took advantage of lunch specials (and our eating out budget is different from our grocery budget).

Here’s the line-up:

Sunday: Baked Chicken ($0.59/lb at Hy-Vee last week!) with roasted peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, and potatoes. We used this chicken all throughout the week.

Monday: Homemade chicken, bacon, & roasted garlic pizza. This was from a store-bought packet, but I’m hoping to try homemade pizza dough in the next couple of weeks.

Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner. I made a scramble with potatoes, onions, red peppers, onions, bacon, eggs, and a little cheese.

Wednesday: Chicken, onion, and black bean tostadas with rice.

Thursday: I have to teach on Thursday nights. Jensen had some ramen (that we’ve had for six months) and I had cereal when I got home

Friday: Hot & Spicy Chicken Fried Rice. I used instant brown rice (have two boxes), red peppers, broccoli, green onions, and chicken. Mmm good (I had to restrain Jensen so we’d have some for lunch Saturday).

The weekends always seem to be challenging for us so we’ll see how this first one goes. I scanned the ads today and tried to prioritize what I’d like to buy with my $20 this week. I’m pretty excited to see how far I can make our money go! We’ve got another whole chicken in the fridge defrosting. I’m hoping to make it on Sunday and then on Monday (since it’s Labor Day and I have the day off), I’m going to try to make homemade chicken broth using this recipe. If the weather stays cool, I plan to make some chicken tortilla soup (one of my favorites!).

I’m hoping to get my camera charged up tonight so that I’ll be able to show my loot from the grocery store

Here’s to celebrating small victories!

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Philippians 2:13

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:01:00 +0000

For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Jaw-dropping Majesty - Friday September 03, 2010

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:00:32 +0000

Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, and does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. Isaiah 26:10

There we stood, at the brink of the north rim of the Grand Canyon. A life-dream come true, we were actually able to gaze with our own eyes over the majestic sight, one of the great natural wonders of the world. The Canyon has an average depth of one mile. From the north to south rim it averages 10 miles in width with a maximum width of 18 miles. I could go on and on with the facts, but the majestic sight is simply jaw-droppingly beautiful and awesome. And what did we overhear from the international tourist couple standing next to us? As they approached the rim, the woman said to the man, "I can't believe we drove this far out of our way, and this is it!" We could hardly believe it. This experience taught me two lessons: Even after seeing and experiencing some of God's awesomeness, there are people who will not be impressed or give Him His due. They simply will not perceive the majesty of the Lord. But, hold the phone! What about me? How often have I done the very same thing? We have all experienced God's majesty. Sometimes it is in small ways, other times in big ways. What should our response be? "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in holy array" (Psalm 29:2). His name is definitely due much glory. May we increasingly become a people who perceive His majestic work in and through our lives and who give Him the glory due to His name.

Daniel Goering
The Bridge

One Year Reading Plan: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7; Psalms 47:1-9; Proverbs 22:16
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Romans 14:8

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:01:00 +0000

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Cool to be Selfish With? - Thursday September 02, 2010

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:00:32 +0000

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 NIV

Two people, filled with God's love, pour out that love on one another-that is amazing! That's what creates fellowship, koinonia, the community of love in the church. Let's look at how often the apostles echoed our Lord's exhortation to love one another: "Love one another deeply from the heart"-that's from Peter in his letter to the saints scattered outside Israel (1 Peter 1:22 NIV); "love each other deeply"-that's Peter again, same letter (4:8 NIV), but this time he says "Above all"-top priority; "We should love one another"-that's from the apostle John, written in his old age (1 John 3:11); "This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us" (1 John 3:23); "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7 NIV); "...I ask that we love one another" (2 John 1:5 NIV). Do you get the picture? This command was very important to the apostles. The command to love one another is the center of koinonia-that's where it springs from. Do you know there are 54 "one another" verses in the Bible? How we treat one another is koinonia in action. Koinonia and the party scene are really different. The party scene is a place where we agree we can be selfish together. Your value to me at a party is how cool you are to be selfish with. It's all about me, and what you can do for my entertainment. Koinonia is about how I can love you with God's love for your best interests in His kingdom.

John Meyer
Faithwalkers West 2009

One Year Reading Plan: Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22; 2 Corinthians 6:1-13; Psalms 46:1-11; Proverbs 22:15
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Ephesians 4:1-3

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:01:00 +0000

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Avenue to Incredible Things - Wednesday September 01, 2010

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:00:36 +0000

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35 NIV

Each one of us has a purpose in God's plan. At its core, that purpose involves loving others. I gave my life to Christ on September 11, 1977 at Iowa State University when I was 20 years old and started to discover this purpose. Entering into the life of the church there in Ames, I was around people who had something bigger to do with their lives than just study or party. They believed in God, understood His purposes in this world, and gave their time and energy to help others find Him and gain eternal life. The church is the avenue to all sorts of wild, rich, incredible things to do for this mission-loving others and bring them to God. Love has incredible power. Take, for example, my brother Charlie. One Christmas break I tricked him into coming to our Colorado Ski Conference. Before the conference even started, Charlie experienced something radically different-the love of the saints. The 24-hour bus trip from Iowa to Colorado did it. Charlie got off that bus knowing that God was alive. It's called koinonia (koy-nohn-ee'-ah), and it means agape love from God experienced in a community of love. When I became a Christian, that's what I was invited into. People were living out Jesus' command to His disciples at the Last Supper: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. The ultimate evidence for God is our love for one another.

John Meyer
Faithwalkers West 2009

One Year Reading Plan: Job 40:1-42:17; 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Psalms 45:1-17; Proverbs 22:14
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Proverbs 12:19

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

The Faithwalker's Journal: What Kind of Man is This? - Tuesday August 31, 2010

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:00:35 +0000

The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" Matthew 8:27 NIV

Jesus and his disciples were simply crossing the lake. They had been with the crowds all day and welcomed Jesus' suggestion of a quiet boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was recharging with a much-needed nap while the disciples manned the boat, when suddenly, "without warning a furious storm came up" (8:24 NIV). Contending with the wind and rapidly filling boat, the disciples frantically held off waking Jesus until there was no other recourse. In final desperation they cried, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" (8:25 NIV). Waking from His sleep, Jesus quickly brought the situation under control, rebuking both the storm and the disciples, bringing them both to a quiet calm. What was the problem here? Why did Jesus respond to the disciples with a rebuke? Given the circumstances, wasn't it understandable that they would be upset and frantic? Perhaps looking at Jesus' first four words will help us get to the real issue: "You of little faith..." (8:26 NIV). It's as if Jesus were telling the disciples, "Do you know who's in this boat with you? Do you really know who I am? If I am who I say I am, why don't you act like it? Wind, waves, deep waters-no problem, they all answer to me." I wonder...how much do I truly believe who is in my "boat" with me? Or, like the disciples, do I simply go along with the crowd-"in ministry with Jesus"-but in my heart not really understanding and believing that the Son of God is really with me? Perhaps that's why Jesus sometimes allows unexpected storms to show us our hearts as well as to show us who He really is.

Dawn Bovenmyer
Stonebrook Community Church

One Year Reading Plan: Job 37:1-39:30; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10; Psalms 44:9-26; Proverbs 22:13
[Read online bible]

Cartagena Familia - Jensen and Autumn: cartagenafamilia

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:49:25 +0000

This weekend, the hubby and I went to one of our local grocery stores to snag some sweet deals. Mainly, we were there to stock up on cereal and chicken. Weird combination, right? We go through both of these items A LOT. With the first of the month approaching, we spent the drive home renewing our vows to eat out less, make better use of our groceries, and to generally be satisfied with our lot in life for the month. Upon arriving at home, instead of lounging about (which is what Sunday afternoons are intended for), I decided we should inventory our cabinets. I figured that this would help us to know what meals we have the ingredients for, what we have doubles of, etc.

And that’s when it hit me. The cold hard truth staring back at me from behind oak doors.

My name is Autumn and I’m a grocery-holic.

It’s true! I confess! Just as some women have closets full of new clothes and accessories, price-tags dangling, beckoning with the promise of a new look, another compliment, I have a kitchen full of ingredients and gadgets that called to me from the grocery store shelf.

“You know how good that risotto looked on the Food Network. One box of arborio rice never hurt anyone, did it?”

Yep, I told myself I could stop at any time, but by the looks of my cabinets, I’ve got a real problem.

Alright. Maybe I’m exaggerating. But if so, only slightly! I really did have lots of random ingredients. Many with doubles and triples. And several I remember staring at me from the cabinets in our last apartment (so they haven’t been used in six months). So, to curb my habit, save some money, and experience long anticipated culinary delights, I’m challenging myself for the month of September.

Here are the terms:

1. To start out, I’m borrowing my friend Beth’s meal idea. Now that we have an inventory (my hubby is make me an awesome spreadsheet today. by cabinet.), we can just make a list of all the meals we have the ingredients to make.

2. Next, the challenge will be to only cook meals that we currently have the ingredients for until October. Hopefully, this will help us to determine which meals we really enjoy, which ones were a miss, and which ones we’d really like to try (because let’s face it, I will shop again).

3. There are some exceptions to this. I’m allotting $20 a week for perishable items (e.g. produce, bread, milk). IF there happens to be money left out of this $20 and we both agree on the item, I can purchase additional ingredients.

4. I’ll try to post recipes that I’ve been wanting to try out (and have the ingredients for) here. I’ll also try to post a report every few days on how things are going.

5. By the way, we will still be eating out occasionally but hope to stay well within our budget!

Alright, well I hope you will all be cheering me on!

Bon Appetit!

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Zephaniah 3:17

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Ambitious Leaders-3 - Monday August 30, 2010

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:00:30 +0000

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6

Paul warned Timothy against leaders who stirred up controversy and who sought financial gain. In this verse he teaches a truth that guides his young disciple toward a truly godly lifestyle. After the warning in verse 5, Timothy could have been tempted to think, "What is the use of being godly? If there is no gain for me, why even try to be godly?" Anticipating this, Paul assures Timothy that godliness will lead to gain but on one condition. You must also be content. Let me state this verse in a different way: God will bless your life if you are content with being godly. That is, godliness is its own reward. The person who is godly (who pleases God) and who is totally content with that godliness this is the person who has great gain. Paul told the Philippians that he had learned the secret of being content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11,12). This is it-living the contented life of pleasing the Lord! An excellent example is Eric Liddell, depicted in the movie Chariots of Fire. Liddell, an athlete as well as a strong Christian, refused to run races on Sundays. When his race in the 1924 Olympics was scheduled on a Sunday, Liddell agonizes over whether to run or not. He knows the real question is not whether he will win the race but whether he will live a godly life. When he finally makes the right decision, he has peace and contentment. He knows that he has pleased the Lord. When he runs another Olympic race, he runs as a man who has already won in his inner man. As an extra blessing, the Lord enables him to win the gold medal!

John Hopler
Great Commission Churches

One Year Reading Plan: Job 34:1-36:33; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12; Psalms 44:1-8; Proverbs 22:10-12
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Isaiah 52:7

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."

The Faithwalker's Journal: Ambitious Leaders-2 - Sunday August 29, 2010

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:00:33 +0000

And constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 1 Timothy 6:5

Paul warned Timothy about ambitious men who focused on controversial questions. In verse 5 he explains that these men suppose that "godliness is a means of gain." Paul is most likely referring to financial gain. Perhaps these men stirred up controversy to benefit financially. Perhaps these legalists supposed that if a man was "pious" and "godly" that this would result in blessings in this life-particularly financial blessing. And so they promoted self-righteousness and "spirituality" in order to gain followers. As leaders we are to be godly. An overseer is to be a man of Christ-like character (1 Timothy 3). But Paul is concerned, here, with the motive for being godly. In Christianity there can be an unspoken belief that pleasing God will result in personal gain. For example, a leader can take the perspective that church work is like a business. If he just does right, then blessings will follow. This thinking results in believing not in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but in the prosperity gospel of our American culture. This belief inevitably results in disappointment. A person who is in "church work" for the money will inevitably have his heart tested. The praise of men turns into criticism. Good morale in the church sours. And financial blessings become a distant memory. I have seen many a man abandon the church when the money ran out. Like the shepherd who was a hired hand, he flees from the sheep when times get tough (John 10). May God deliver us from being selfishly ambitious, turning the church of God into a business.

John Hopler
Great Commission Churches

One Year Reading Plan: Job 31:1-33:33; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18; Psalms 43:1-5; Proverbs 22:8-9
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): 1 John 4:7-8

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Ambitious Leaders-1 - Saturday August 28, 2010

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:00:36 +0000

He is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions... 1 Timothy 6:4

To whom is Paul referring in this verse? He is referring to one who rejects the gospel of Jesus Christ and lives a lifestyle marked by conceit, rather than humility and honor. Throughout his ministry Paul contended with legalists who undermined the gospel of the grace of Christ. These men were certainly "ambitious leaders." But their ambition led to "envy, strife, abusive language and evil suspicions." My life ministry verse is 2 Corinthians 4:5: "For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your bondservants for Jesus' sake." This verse has been a tremendous guide to me in ministry. Following Paul and Timothy's example, I have sought to be ambitious but to be ambitious in the right way. And so I seek to "not preach myself" but "Christ Jesus as Lord." Simply sharing the message of Christ-His sinless life, His death, His resurrection, His coming again in glory-this is to be our ambition. Further, if we preach Christ, we will be drawn to a lifestyle that models His perfect life, the life of a bondservant. In contrast, I admit that I have often been tempted to get into "doctrinal disputes." In fact, when I was a newly appointed elder, I found myself gravitating towards controversial doctrinal issues. The flesh loves fights and conflict! And fights over petty doctrine can seem so spiritual! Certainly we are to contend for the fundamental truths of the faith. But we must be careful not to focus our lives on controversial questions. And we must be wary of seemingly spiritual (and articulate) leaders who do.

John Hopler
Great Commission Churches

One Year Reading Plan: Job 28:1-30:31; 2 Corinthians 2:11-17; Psalms 42:1-11; Proverbs 22:7
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Matthew 22:37-39

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

The Faithwalker's Journal: Listening to Know the Truth - Friday August 27, 2010

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:00:31 +0000

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 NIV

In Christendom there are some communicators who are funny, entertaining, and easy to listen to. Sometimes they kick you in the head; sometimes they make you cry; sometimes you are rolling with laughter. But none of this is all that significant unless you gain something about which you can say, "I am going to own this and build this into my own body of knowledge and understanding." The real issue is this: Are you going to take that truth you hear and put it in your head, know it, and believe it? Be disciplined with the scriptures. An easy way to build your understanding is to truly listen to what your pastors are teaching. Believe and reflect on the truths they teach you. Consider every verse they reference. Are you going to do anything with it? Are you going to let your life be changed by it? Or are you just going to say, "That was interesting. That was entertaining." The scripture commends those who take seriously the studying of scripture. Read Acts 17:10-11: "As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (NIV). James 1:22 tells us to be doers of the Word. It is our core value. Believe in Jesus for your salvation, and then approach this Book as if you want to do what it says.

Pat Sokoll
Faithwalkers West 2009

One Year Reading Plan: Job 23:1-27:23; 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11; Psalms 41:1-13; Proverbs 22:5-6
[Read online bible]

The Rock Audio Feed: Welcome Back

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:30:52 +0000

The Faithwalker's Journal: The Foolishness of Idols - Thursday August 26, 2010

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:00:30 +0000

He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it. Exodus 32:20 ESV

This is a rather bizarre ending to a bizarre story. Just a short time after one of the greater miracles in history, the parting of the Red Sea, and just days after Moses went up the mountain to meet with God, Israel quickly turned away from the living God to worship a stupid, dead idol. In holy anger, Moses ground the gold into powder, mixed it with water, then made the people drink it. Consider the physical outcome: After Moses made them drink the gold powder, where did it end up? Well, to be graphic, the gold went through their digestive systems and eventually ended up in their feces in a hole in the ground. This "glorious" golden calf they once worshiped has now been degraded to a pile of dung! Beautiful, valuable gold...mixed with dung. That is the outcome of worshiping a dead idol. As strange as the whole story seems, worshiping a ridiculous calf made of gold, we worship similar stupid things. Basically an idol is anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone. Idols come in all forms: a physical item like a house or car, another person, a career, food, or striving to make our own name famous. In 1 Thessalonians 1:9, the church is commended for turning away from idols to serve the living and true God. Today let us reject all dead, foolish idols that, figuratively speaking, will end up in a pile of dung. Instead, let us live honorable lives by serving the only, eternal, living God.

Brad Barrett
Stonebrook Community Church

One Year Reading Plan: Job 20:1-22:30; 2 Corinthians 1:1-11; Psalms 40:11-17; Proverbs 22:2-4
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): James 5:8

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): James 5:8

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

The Faithwalker's Journal: It's Not About Time - Wednesday August 25, 2010

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:00:39 +0000

...For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21

The woman who simply cannot find time to visit her friend in the hospital, but then whose husband suddenly gets sick and who now finds herself almost living in that same hospital demonstrates it to us. The young man who is so stressed and stretched, and who simply can't find enough time to come to a meeting, but then falls in love, and now talks to his beloved every evening for three hours proves it as well. Even when we don't have the time, we will always find the time for the things we most treasure. It's not about time it's about what we most value. It is about priorities and clearly knowing where and to what it is that God wants us to give our time and attention. None of us will ever stop being busy. We will always feel the lack of enough time to "get it all done." Every one of us needs God's wisdom to know which things we should be trying to accomplish with the time we have. But if any of us find ourselves unable to accomplish the most basic of our God-given priorities (like getting good quiet time daily with our Lord, or getting enough time with our spouses and children, or enough time to serve the Church, or share the Gospel), then perhaps it is time to reexamine exactly what it is that we value. We must learn to truly love the things that God loves. Our hearts need to burn with the things that are on God's heart. When we truly value the things He values, we will make the time to invest in them.

Lori Goering
The Bridge

One Year Reading Plan: Job 16:1-19:29; 1 Corinthians 16:1-24; Psalms 40:1-10; Proverbs 22:1
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Ephesians 4:26-27

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

The Faithwalker's Journal: David's Simple Secret - Tuesday August 24, 2010

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:00:19 +0000

... I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do. Acts 13:22 NIV

I'd love God to say something like this about me. What about David made this true? It wasn't because David was perfect. It wasn't because he tried harder. I think there is one thing that was true of him that led God to say this about him. That simple secret is this: David believed God. David believed in God's power, so he took risks. When he fought Goliath, he went out in confidence because he had seen God's power before and didn't doubt it. He learned to attribute the everyday victories in his life to God's power, so when a big thing came up, he was secure in God's power (1 Samuel 17:34-37). This helped him step out and take risks for God. David believed God's promises, so he waited patiently. In 1 Samuel 16:10-13, God promised him that he would be king. For awhile it looked like that was going to happen quickly and systematically. Then the bottom fell out, and he was branded a traitor and chased out of the land. Rather than get mad or confused or try to force the plan into happening, he waited patiently for God to fulfill His promise. He even resisted the urge to clear the obstacles in his own strength, wanting rather for God to do things His way in His timing (1 Samuel 24:1-11). David believed God's love, so he lived in God's presence. David messed up a lot. We see many of his sins in the Bible. He talks of them in the psalms. Yet he always felt that he could come close to God; that he could at any moment be in God's presence and receive His forgiveness. You and I can believe in God's power, in God's promises, and in God's love.

Rob Gerber
Cedarcreek Community Church

One Year Reading Plan: Job 12:1-15:35; 1 Corinthians 15:29-58; Psalms 39:1-13; Proverbs 21:30-31
[Read online bible]

Tony & Kirsten Hill: “A Day in the Life” of the Hill Family Academy (maybe)

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:49:22 +0000

It’s “Day in the Life” week at Heart of the Matter’s “Not Back to School Blog Hop.” My “day in the life” is somewhat theoretical at this point since we haven’t gotten back to a school year schedule yet and I am hoping to make some changes from what our schedule looked like last year.

We’re just finishing up our summer break. When not busy with a particular activity like swimming lessons, most of the days in our life lately have looked like un-rushed early mornings, lots of time playing inside and out the rest of the morning (or maybe a playdate or shopping trip or other outing), time for reading or computer games for the kids or chores while Kai naps, and more playing outside in the late afternoon or early evening. For the past month we’ve been doing a little bit of Madeline’s history and Erik’s preschool lessons where ever we could fit them in.

Here’s what I am hoping a “day in our life” will look like once our school year is in full swing. I am not very good at following precise schedules, but I am going to try and at least make one to give us something to follow and not have utter chaos.

I will aim to get up before the kids to get ready for the day, make coffee and have some time to read the Bible and pray. I think this might need to be at 6:15 am. My guess is that at least some mornings Kai (currently 18 months old) will be up before the other kids and while I am still in the middle of this routine…he is my early bird! But I can do these things with him around if I need to!

The other two kids will hopefully wake up after I have finished these things! Either Madeline (age 6) or Erik (almost 3.5) picks one show to watch (a video that’s 30 minutes or less or a recorded program from our DVR). Kai usually watches with them — I suppose pretty soon he will get turns to pick out the show too! This will be my time to spend on the computer. Or time to do other morning routine things that I didn’t get to before they woke up!

After the show it’s time for breakfast. Typically this is something really quick to prepare like cereal, toast or a baked good that I prepped the night before or on another day. Then the kids get dressed if they haven’t yet. I’d like to get in the habit of reading the Bible or age-appropriate devotional materials to the kids during breakfast or shortly after. We’ll see if that is a habit I can be consistent with! I would like to get devotional time with the kids in a time slot separate from “school” stuff so that we make a habit to do it even on non-school days. After all, reading the Bible isn’t just a school subject — it’s a habit for life!

I’m thinking of having the kids play with each other for about half an hour after breakfast, to give me some time in the schedule to run through some quick chores. This will be a new schedule element. I’ll be testing this out to see if it is helpful, or if it makes it that much harder to bring our focus around to doing school.

Then comes a block of school time that will last from about 9 am to noon (with some breaks and snacks in there too!). I am planning on doing all of Madeline’s academic subjects every day we do the regular school schedule, and trying out setting a timer to make sure we don’t spend too long on any one thing. I discovered last year that my tendency is to keep at something until Madeline is absolutely done with it. But that meant that it was hard to find time for everything because some days we might end up spending an hour on math or 45 minutes on phonics. If it seems to jarring to spend 15-20 minutes per subject each day, I am going to try more of a planned “block” schedule with longer blocks for each subject area and not doing them every day.

That three hour block will also include half an hour of preschool for Erik. I would guess that during that three hour block, Erik will spend some of the non-preschool time playing alone or with Kai, and some of the time at the table with Madeline and I either trying to participate with us or doing art or an activity book at the table.

I am hoping I have the energy to come up with some special toys for Kai to get out just during school time and maybe some special activities for him too. I know that he will have Erik to play with quite a bit during school time, and he doesn’t mind too much playing by himself…or scribbling on paper with us at the table.

After the school block in the morning, we’ll have lunch (hopefully the kids will be playing and perhaps Madeline will work on a bit of independent work while I make lunch and bring it to the table). After lunch the kids will have a bit more time to play freely. If the morning chore time doesn’t work out so well, this play time may be a bit longer so I can do more chores after lunch.

After this play time, Kai will take a nap. During nap time, we’ll do our elective subjects like art and music, have time for read-alouds, maybe do some science experiments or messier history projects, and occasionally cook or bake or play board games. I am assuming Erik will want to join Madeline for these endeavors. This should work out to one elective subject per day, followed by some (or maybe a lot) of read-aloud time.

After 30-60 minutes of these electives and reading, I am aiming to have Erik rest for 30 minutes, and Madeline have 30 minutes to either rest, read or spend time at her desk in the “nook” upstairs where she can write, draw, etc. I’ll either rest, work on early dinner preparations or perhaps chores or computer time.

After this, Madeline will get 30 minutes on the computer if she would like to do this, or extra time for reading, playing or art. I’m hoping I’ll have the patience to help Erik on the other computer at the same time at least once or twice a week (he hasn’t learned how to “mouse” yet), and other days he can play or choose another activity that is good to do while Kai is sleeping (assuming he is still asleep at this point!) like play-doh or painting.

In an ideal world Kai would wake up after those two hours, and the kids would have been full enough from lunch that they didn’t even ask for a snack until this time, then we all eat a snack together. Maybe that will all work out once a week or so.

We then have a two and a half or three hour block of time before dinner. Some days this will be chore time together (like laundry folding), some days play time (perhaps outside or with friends), some days errands, or once a week, a late afternoon elective class for Madeline (or if we do the Ballet class that meets right after lunch once a week for part of the year, on that day Kai’s nap and the afternoon routine get pushed back an hour and a half or more, and then this late-afternoon block all but disappears!).

The last 30-60 minutes before dinner consists of time for me to prepare dinner (unless I got it done earlier) and (in an ideal world) time for the kids to straighten up and put away whatever toys, school stuff and art supplies they have gotten out.

Most days I let the kids pick out one more 30-minute-or-less show to watch while I do my thing in the kitchen. In all honesty I let them do this because if I don’t it takes twice as long for me to make dinner — between Kai getting into things he shouldn’t be into and the kids fighting over toys and the boys getting too rough with each other — if they aren’t watching a show while I cook it feels like I am dealing with the kids every two minutes and not getting any cooking done. I wish it wasn’t like that, but that’s the reality right now!

Then it is finally dinner time, and after dinner we have an hour or so to enjoy time together as a family before the bedtime routine begins.

My guess is we’ll follow something like this routine 4 days per week. The 5th day will be for co-op or a field trip. Our co-op meets approximately every other week for three hours in the afternoon. I think we’ll do a light school schedule in the morning, possibly playing educational games and doing a project for history or science that can be done with Kai underfoot. I am assuming we’ll use most of our non-co-op Thursdays for some kind of outing, and do little to no other school work. Perhaps some weeks we’ll just stay home on our non-co-op days and take a day off or do a light schedule or have a playdate with friends.

That’s the “day-in-the-life” that I am envisioning. I’ll have to revisit this topic in a couple months to see if a day in our life really looks like this!

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Romans 10:17

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

The Faithwalker's Journal: Like a Rock - Monday August 23, 2010

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:00:34 +0000

The Lord...is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

"Before, all I cared about was power and speed...my Yamaha!" Miro said, imitating the hand movements of someone driving a motor cycle very fast. "Those things were my escape. But now I have real peace. I feel like a rock." "For so long I felt like people were looking down on me and saying, 'Miro! You don't have a wife or kids or a house. You're already 31 years old!' I felt like I didn't have much value. Now I know I have great value because Jesus loves me. He says I'm valuable!" Having been saved for only four days, Miro shared this brief testimony with us as his unsaved girlfriend, Ania looked on and listened. Beginning last May I asked for prayer for my evangelistic efforts in a park near our home. God's answer was my meeting Miro who displayed great openness. It was very evident that the Lord had been preparing him. Through the summer and fall Joan and I shared the gospel in various ways with Miro and Ania. Two weeks ago we invited them to our home where for several hours I, along with one of the guys from my discipleship group, discussed and drew out the Bridge Diagram. I explained that "believing" meant repenting, transferring trust, and confessing Jesus as Lord. That night Miro believed. We are so excited that Miro has come to personal faith in Christ and is growing! He appears to be that "man of peace" for whom some of you have prayed with us: open to the gospel, open to us personally, and a man of influence with his friends. Thank you for praying!

Jack Stockdale
Great Commission Missionary

One Year Reading Plan: Job 8:1-11:20; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; Psalms 38:1-22; Proverbs 21:28-29
[Read online bible]

The Rock Audio Feed: Primal Hunger, Primal Dread 01

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:35:21 +0000

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Psalm 50:14-15

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."

The Faithwalker's Journal: Safe - Sunday August 22, 2010

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:00:36 +0000

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 19:10

Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit, and the main character in the classic book The Hobbit. Bilbo lived a predictable, safe life with all the other hobbits in the Shire. Leaving the security of the Shire was unheard of until he met the great wizard Gandalf. During one of their adventures, Bilbo found a very powerful magic ring, which led him on more journeys outside the Shire. The ring's power also caused Bilbo to remain young, and gave him a sense of security for many years. We all like to feel safe and secure, but often what we trust in for safety is an illusion, and fails us in the end. Are you trapped in a job, career, or relationship simply because it feels "safe"? I meet people all the time who fear change and doubt God's love, so they remain inside the safety and security of the Shire. They aren't convinced that God will provide the best, protect them, and give them the strength to do His will. I know men who stayed in a career or in the ministry because it paid the bills, and they didn't know what else to do to meet their needs. I know men and women who settled for a relationship with someone who lacked godly character. It felt like a safe place for these folks, even though they were unhappy, and had to make compromises. They played it safe like most good hobbits. Should they have listened to their conscience and moved on? Follow the leading of the Spirit, be committed to other Christians, and obey God's Word. Has God ever failed you? He is the only really safe place to run.

Steve S. Nelson
GCM Missionary

One Year Reading Plan: Job 4:1-7:21; 1 Corinthians 14:18-40; Psalms 37:30-40; Proverbs 21:27
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Galatians 6:9-10

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

The Faithwalker's Journal: God Sees Me - Saturday August 21, 2010

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:00:23 +0000

From his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. Psalm 33:14-15 NIV

God is watching me! Now that can be a scary thought or that can be a comforting thought. After all, if God is truly God and my Creator, then that makes me accountable to Him. I have to answer for all my thoughts and actions. Fortunately, I have stepped out from under His condemnation because Jesus has justified me through His death for my sins (Romans 5:1). He is for me, cheering me on to walk with Him through life. I was thinking about this the other day when I intentionally skipped lunch to later spend time alone with God. As I was heating up some leftovers for my family, I was tempted to nibble and taste what I was preparing. Surely one little bite of food wouldn't really matter that much, especially since I was hungry! No one else was looking...or were they? Then it struck me, though others weren't in the kitchen at that moment, God was! With fresh resolution I thought, "God, you see me here and I want to please You by my commitment to abstain. You are more important to me than a bite of food, and I can show You that right now!" Later in my time alone, I was reminded of Matthew 6:18 which says, 'Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you" (NIV). Rewards for those secret choices...I don't know what my rewards will be. Certainly in heaven I will be humbled and grateful that I pleased God at all. But honestly, there is reward even down here on earth, and that is relationship...relationship with my Father who sees all that I do and wants to share all my moments with me.

Dawn Bovenmyer
Stonebrook Community Church

One Year Reading Plan: Job 1:1-3:26; 1 Corinthians 14:1-17; Psalms 37:12-29; Proverbs 21:25-26
[Read online bible]

Daily Bible Verse (ESV): Luke 6:27-28

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."

The Faithwalker's Journal: Christ's Forgiveness Flowing - Friday August 20, 2010

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:00:24 +0000

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV

Corrie Ten Boom's story continues: "Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus had died for this man. Was I going to ask more? 'Lord Jesus,' I prayed, 'forgive me, and help me to forgive him.' I could not. I felt nothing. Not the slightest spark of warmth, or charity or grace. So again, I breathed a silent prayer, 'Jesus, O Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness.' As I finally took his hand, a most incredible thing happened to me. From my shoulder, along my arm, and through my hand, a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me. And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges. It's Christ's forgiveness flowing through us." If you're like me, you probably sat there asking yourself, "Would I have reached out my hand?" We don't know the effect that Corrie's forgiveness had on this S.S. guard, but we do know that he saw God's supernatural love and forgiveness demonstrated, and demonstration is a powerful thing. God demonstrated it to us by His death, and now we have the privilege and responsibility of demonstrating it to others by our lives. How are you doing on forgiving? Do you do it quickly, or do you do it slowly? Do you let the offense go, or just hold onto it? Next time you have a hard time forgiving someone, remember this one thought: this may be the greatest opportunity you will ever have to demonstrate God's love and forgiveness to this person.

Dennis Clark
Faithwalkers West 2009

One Year Reading Plan: Esther 8:1-10:3; 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13; Psalms 37:1-11; Proverbs 21:23-24
[Read online bible]