Spring Cleaning

Today I am optimistic. Grateful. Eager. I am experiencing a spring-cleaning of the heart. I have always loved the book of James (I have a friend who just began a blog titled with a quote from it and of course Third Day has a great song from it) but I don't think I ever realized how much it would affect me to study it in depth. I know many people get hung up in chapter two where it seems that your salvation might rest on your works but that is not at all his point. It's funny how many strings can come together to make a united thought. I like to follow little strings here there and everywhere. Apparently I need a whole lot of strings that slowly connect and grow into each other to really make an impact on my thinking. It's like sweet peas (a favorite spring planting from my childhood). So many little tendrils that seem so delicate on their own but once they are wrapped around another stem watch out! next to impossible to separate and you can't even tell which flowers belong to which plant they are so mixed up. The bible is like that too. I am reading in my daily bible and finding things that apply to my new testament study and my new testament study is applying to things that I am learning in my life experience and all of it continues to intertwine and grow into a sturdy framework of faith. This is an act of mercy because as I mentioned above, I have a hard time focusing on just one string at a time. The other day I got out of the shower and put a leave in conditioner in my hand to rub in my hair, while I was doing this I had a brief thought about my complexion and boom the next thing I know I'm rubbing the conditioner on my face not in my hair! NOT GOOD AT FOCUSING. There have been a couple of things this past week that have created this spring cleaning effect in my heart. One: I have been pondering the practice of Lent. I personally do not see much good in giving up earthly things as a religious practice but I do see some value in making a spiritual sacrifice or a "heart" sacrifice. As I mentioned a few posts ago I have been practicing "putting my mind on things above" and I teased you all that I would reveal later how I was doing that. I am doing that by memorizing James chapter 1 and I have two verses to go! I say this not to be prideful but because I am full of joy that some of my time is actually spent mediating on God's Word and the funny thing is it hasn't felt like a sacrifice to carve out that time. I find my HEART'S longing for the word helps my MIND to accomplish my will of memorization and that feels good. Two: James is all Jew. He provides an amazing perspective that at times seems opposite Paul's exclusive freedom in Christ message but is in fact complimentary. In not having a current church home I have been forced to rely on God (um hello, isn't that exactly what we are supposed to do?) for motivation in searching out and receiving teaching. I was so blessed to find ECF when we first moved here but what I didn't realize was that is allowed me to continue on as I had been. Growing in my faith certainly, but not really any upside down - turn your life around teaching on sundays. I many ways I was comfortable and had been since my teens. The really challenging stuff has always been experienced through women's studies. (how's THAT for commendation of the effectiveness of a good women's ministry!) The statement from my study of James by Beth Moore that blew my socks off was this. . . "Our human tendency is to figure out quickly what we believe then, from that point forward, stick to materials that affirm our early-determined belief system. We end up barely making it into our spiritual adolescence before binding our own systematic theology books in our head". WOW. WOW. did I mention WOW? Was this me? Had I formed my theology in my spiritual adolescence? Contrary to scaring me, the realization that this was true for me was like a breath of fresh air. I felt at once FREE to re-examine things I was struggling with knowing that Christ would never let me fall from His grace. I realized that it is OKAY to take a look at current and varied views of longstanding doctrine. Whew. I had opened a window and asked the fresh air of the Holy Spirit to come in and revitalize me and guide me.
Okay so, that was a lot for me to write. I am sure there is more that I could share but right now I am detangling a few more sweet pea blossoms.

Introducing. . .

The Duryees! I am happy to announce that the girlfriend I made at the coffee shop has become the first missionary Jeremy and I personally support! We have struck up not just a friendship but a partnership in ministry! Please check out their story and know that I am just so excited about what God is doing with this couple and their future ministry in Spain.

seasoned with salt is her blog at theduryees.com
this is a repost of her year's happenings. She is funny, honest, loving and has great taste (i know this from her pins on pinterest. hahahahah. check them out and her super adorbs baby susannah that is isaac's age. =)

Milestones in Spain

Posted on December 6, 2011

Our coworkers in Spain have many opportunities on the horizon to share Christ’s love with their friends and neighbors.
In children’s ministry, they are pleased to report that Friday Bible Clubs have an increase in attendance and that some of the new students are from English camp. We are praising God for this because He is affirming the hard work done for English camp by our team.
A three-day Family Life Conference resulted in two confessions of faith and one of those is interested in Baptism. Our teammates diligently follow up with people with whom they share the Gospel and they are bearing fruit!
Hosting friends for a showing of the movie Amazing Grace during Movie Night produced great discussion and conversation.
Finally, this month our coworkers will be hosting several of their friends in their home for coffee and cookies and a video series showing Spanish Christians sharing their testimonies. After the video, a local believer will also share how Christ transformed his or her life. Pray for this Evangelistic Campaign. Perhaps God will draw new believers to Himself just before Christmas.
The work is by no means complete. When I read of all the ways our teammates are sharing Christ, I am excited and thankful. But I notice something significant missing: youth. It’s not that our coworkers have neglected the youth. Not at all. The movie Amazing Grace is about a young person who follows God and changes the world. But these are the opportunities God has directed for our teammates, and they are being obedient to His direction.
We (Chris and I and our teammates in Spain) believe God is directing us to Spain to fill the spot for youth and college outreach. While we are raising support to get to Spain, we are also engaged in youth ministry in the states. God is teaching us how to do what He wants us to do in Spain. But we aren’t the only ones doing it here. We’re part of a team at our church that does youth ministry – not to mention the local community full of youth ministry resources.
We desire to meet the need in Alcalá. We envision growing a thriving youth ministry there that will in turn enable Spanish Christians to reach youth all over the country, without missionary help. Will you consider impacting young people in Spain for Christ by joining our monthly support team?

Cute Shops I Enjoy Sharing

So some of you know about my passion for Shanty, in Newport, Wa.  Best coffee/clothing boutique/household cuties in the eastern part of the state in my opinion. I pretty much always buy something there. Well, it's time to introduce you to another great find! Chaps, in Spokane, Wa. It's an old house that was lovingly restored and added onto into an amazing bakery/coffee shop. It makes sense to me that at some point she will sell more than just the adorable t-shirts advertising the bakery but time will tell. When she is in the store she is very personable, apparently my mother noticed she "looked tired" once so she sat down and chatted about the six year journey it had been to reach the level of success they are at now and she was soooo thankful to my mom for noticing. Warm and friendly, these are the "real people" small business owners I love to support. So now I share pictures of the amazing work the owner and her husband have done. Great coffee too!

 the front

 the bakery area

 ceramic "basket" light fixtures, wish you could see the details, super adorbs

 trinity with her goody

 lovely ladies

 cool hodgepodge decor, the stairs on the right lead up to an awesome second level seating area

 who doesn't love oodles of mugs?

 blake and the clock

 pretty colored crystals on this one

 loved the eclectic mix of furnishings

 even isaac was enjoying himself

 more bye-gone delights in every corner

 our centerpiece

 you better believe I take pics of bathrooms.

 edison bulb bird-cage lighting fixture. yes please!

 more oodles of mugs in an adorable color this time!

 menus tucked in pots around the store. well of course!

What an amazing place for a bridal/baby shower or birthday party!

oh. . . .and just in case you think I neglect my darling Shanty? a pic of Isaac relaxing in the most AMAZING retro swivel children's recliner ever! Thanks Shanty!

A catch up on little man. . .

Isaac has hit 8 mo. He is getting close to my favorite age, the toddling beginnings of the 1 year old. He has suprised us twice by making it all the way up the stairs on his without us knowing. yikes! He is into high fives, waving, and being held in superman position high and flying while we chase big brother around the house yelling "super baby"! He loves the attention of his brother and sister but does get exasperated when they manhandle him too much. His hair 3/4 blonde now but still has more brown in the front. Another few months and he will be all blonde, won't that look different! He is still pretty demanding about being fed as soon as he is up, he still gets up twice a night, and he is starting to eat 2 stage 2 jars of food at a time. I guesstimate he is about 19 lbs. Poor guy has had a rough cold/flu season and has basically been sick off and on since halloween. Still he has a very happy personality and is obviously quite the charmer. Here is a quick review in pictures that I am sure I will repeat when he is one but couldn't resist doing now.

and yes sadly we end with the big sister taking advantage of reminding me she might not get a little sister in order to get to put things like this on poor little brother. but come on he IS adorable in it.

a change is gonna come

I am getting to know a new bible. English Standard Version. It is smaller print than I am used to so the books take less pages and I find myself skipping past things. It reads easy though and I am enjoying reading verses in a new way. I have been especially convicted lately in how I spend my time (okay this is about a once a week thing). I found myself pining over some tv shows the other day when I couldn't record more than two things at once on my DVR. Silly right? I know lots of people who are catching up on series' on Netflix so I was even considering how much I needed to "catch up" on past shows that aren't even on anymore! I felt overwhelmed and actually laughed out loud when I realized I was feeling more stressed about the fact that I didn't have enough time to fit the tv in than I was glad to be spending that time with my family! I am not embarrassed by my love of tv but I do have to keep my priorities straight. I record my shows so that I don't have to watch commercials and am getting good at skipping parts that are not interesting to me so it has really cut down my actual watching time. I am EAGER to pick up the Word but there are still times in the day when I am chasing a baby around the house or just letting him play but not able to focus %100 on something that is basically studying. That's when I pop on a show and "catch up". I have been deep into a study of James the past three weeks, and with that and reading my daily bible and "God without Religion" by Andrew Farley, I am devoting most of my spare time to those things.  As we were studying the end of James chapter 1 this week (be a doer of the Word not a hearer only. . .) Beth Moore made some points that hit home to my heart. "The doing causes the changing" - in other words we need to be careful because the tricky part is that the hearing only can be satisfying. That is VERY me. I love to attend studies and join in words of wisdom and encouragement all the while my "tomb is grubby" to paraphrase from the NT. "God's word is meant to do more than penetrate, it's meant to ACTIVATE." Thanks Beth, no kidding but how do I do that? I have been actively trying to "set my mind on things above". It's sort of  a secret how but I will let you know when my goal is accomplished. A renewed vision of my position in Christ from the book mentioned above is also helping me be more cognizant of my "attitude" and where my mind is at/what I'm focusing on. All this circles back around to the brief but comforting realization the day after my "tv freak out" that I was able to CHOOSE to let go of the desire to "keep up with the Jones' " of tv land. I just let it go. I realized that if I never saw (enter show name) it really wouldn't matter in the big picture. If we are being honest there are still a few shows I think "I wish I could get to. . ." but it isn't a focus for me; more like a passing fancy. My attitude changed because my focus changed and it caused me to act differently; all by the power of the Holy Spirit that helps me desire what God desires for me. Let yourself be changed. What is one of your little "focuses" that distracts you from your walk? From being a hearer and not a doer? Let yourself be changed. I would say it feels good but the truth is, it IS good.