Packing, Pondering and Purposing

Packing: I officially packed up 20 boxes of "stuff" yesterday,ranging from kitchenware to books to games. It took a really long time, yet you can barely see any of the fruit of my labor as most of it was stored behind cabinets and in drawers. Still, it feels good to have weeded out things and know that I have made a small step that, together with other small steps, will culminate in a packed house by the end of January!:)

Pondering: At one point in my packing process, Samuel started asking me how to spell certain words. I was pretty distracted and did not think much about the words he was asking me to spell as I gave him the letters to write down. It all made perfect sense when I walked into the boy's room to check on the Caleb's bed. Caleb had an "accident" Saturday night and on Sunday Samuel was given the job of making up Caleb's bed once his sheets were cleaned. He went above and beyond and my heart overflowed (not to mention, this is the first real "note" he has ever written):
He got me pondering and God used that pondering to remind me of my purpose...

Purposing: Right now, it's really easy to forget my main purpose. There is so much to distract between thoughts of moving, preparing for Jesus' Birthday and just the day to day managing of a home of 8. Carolyn Mahaney said it this way:

"If we are distracted by projects or pleasure, we may miss valuable teaching moments, opportunities to encourage, disobedience that requires discipline, or a chance to show affection. These moments, once lost, are gone forever."
Even in this extra busy season of my life, my purpose has not changed. It is still to glorify God by loving my husband and my children and being a keeper of my home. But, I'll be honest, the spirit is willing and my flesh is oh so weak. Praise God for His Word and it's life-sustaining truths...for His power that is perfected in my weakness, for His grace that is sufficient in all things...and praise the Lord for godly examples and the wisdom of dear saints who have gone before me. Elisabeth Elliot said the following about her mom and my prayer is that I follow in her footsteps too:

"Called to be a mother, entrusted with the holy task of cooperating with God in shaping the destinies of six people, she knew it was too heavy a burden to carry alone. She did not try. She went to Him whose name is Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father. She asked His help."

To fun to not go back!

I was going through pictures on my computer and realized that I never documented a really fun night that we had on the 6th of December! It was the night we decorated our tree, drank hot cocoa while Dad read us a Christmas story and our kids formed their own band and had fun putting on a concert. I am not sure that anyone not related to them would pay money to go and see them...but I'll give you a "sneak peak" for free!:)











Also, I was wondering if you all might help me out and give me some names of Christmas movies you and your family like to watch around this time of year. There are a lot out there...but I need help figuring out which ones are best...or at least favorites for others! Half of our family is down sick with a cold and somehow the girls have managed to get a fever, too! So some "movie time" may not be such a bad idea after all!

Today, our garage revealed my heart...

It's amazing how God will use any and all things to show us the ugliness and sin in our hearts. Today it was the garage. I went out first thing this morning to throw a load of laundry in the washer and could barely get there because of all the "stuff" that was in the way...the remains of our trip to Costco that had not been put away yet, an overflowing recycling bin, Christmas bins that had not been put back in there spot, balls and other sports equipment and lots of snow stuff. You would think our garage hadn't been cleaned out in months...but I can tell you that it was organized just a couple of weeks ago, and I was the one who did it.

Immediately, my heart began to well up with frustration and anger...frustration over having such a messy garage, especially in light of moving and needing room to put lots of boxes; and anger that, once again, I felt like all I do is clean up something for it to get messed up or dirty again; make a meal only for it to be eaten and I have to do it all over again the next day; wash clothes, fold them, and then do it again with the exact same pair of jeans two days later! Instead of taking my thoughts captive, I fed them with self-pity and self justification.

I got my hair cut today and I am thankful for the time in the chair...the hairdresser and I chatted comfortably...but I also had a lot of time to think...think about the sin going on in my own heart and the foolishness of my anger. I was looking at my garage this morning as a mess that should not be there...as a job that I should never have had to tackle again this soon and that determined my joy...or lack thereof. I was seeing things through natural, sinful eyes that removed God from the equation...a very dangerous thing to do.

God should be the center of every situation, every mess, every plan and every decision. If I had been wearing my "eternal glasses" this morning my outlook would have been completely different. I would have recognized that messy garage coming to me from the hands of God for my good and His glory. It was an opportunity to glorify Him...just as all of life is. It was another opportunity to remind myself that this day was made by the Lord and I was to rejoice and be glad in it.

I missed it.

Prayerfully, sharing this with you will keep you from missing it too, whatever circumstance the Lord has you in.


***While I was in the garage with my hubby, my dear boys were busy making flags. Flags that represent their national heritage. But, greater still, the smiles on their faces and the picture that I took represents the heritage the Lord has given them...before the foundation of the world He planned that Micah, Samuel, Titus and Caleb would be brothers! It's a beautiful, amazing thing!

Grace's Christmas Recital

One month later Grace was up on the stage again. The tears came yesterday instead of today and she was really hoping that mom would give in and tell her she didn't have to play today. Nope...not this mom!:) I did pray with her and encourage her to "preach to herself" and to take her thoughts captive and think of Bible verses:

"Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you."

"The joy of the Lord is my strength."

"I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength."

"When I am weak, then I am strong (in the strength of the Lord)."

"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you."

Anyway, she was doing much better today although, as she waited for her turn to play (she played 6th) I could see the color keeping rising in her face in a nice blotchy pattern. My dear daughter is so precious...she is sensitive yet strong and she blessed my heart yet again this afternoon.

One of her dearest friends, Haley, also takes lessons from the same piano teacher and we enjoyed her performance and her precious families company as we sat in the audience together. The rest of the Pichura clan has to watch Grace on video like you do...it seems that a cold has taken hold of our house and knocked a few of the gang down, including Dad!

Here is sweet Grace playing for the glory of God. May we faithfully come to the Lord joyful in the work He has done on our behalf and triumphant that the victory has already been won! Praise the Lord!

God's Gift of Christmas

A few days ago, I had asked my hubby if he had any books at work that specifically looked at the Christmas story. The Incarnation. I knew that in the midst of all that was and is going on...it would be very easy to lose sight of the true celebration this month. The greatest gift I could ever receive. The coming of the One Who sealed my adoption and made a way for me to be apart of the family of God and have a forever home. The One Who took my sin upon Himself and, in return gave me His righteousness. I can barely grasp the awesome weight of all that His death conquered and I look forward to an eternity of having those beautiful truths revealed!

Okay...so back to the book!:) Bryan brought home a little blue book called, "God's Gift of Christmas" by John MacArthur. I cannot say enough good things about it. If you have it, read it before Christmas (it won't take you long)...if you don't, put it on your list of books to order! This will become a book I read yearly in December and pray that the truths found therein would be truths that I would meditate on all year long. The chapters focus on everything from the incarnation to the wise men to Mary and Elizabeth's relationship. It touched on everything and yet was not shallow in any way. Let me share with you a brief excerpt from one of the last chapters:

"The important issue of Christmas is not so much that Jesus came, but why He came. There was no salvation in His birth. Nor did the sinless way He lived His life have any redemptive force of its own. His example, flawless as it was, could not rescue us from our sins. Even His teaching, the greatest truth ever revealed, could not save us. There was a price to be paid for our sins. Someone had to die. Only Jesus could do that.....

Here's a side to the Christmas story that isn't often told. Those soft little hands, fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb, were made so that nails might be driven through them. Those baby feet, pink and unable to walk, would one day walk up a dusty hill to be nailed to a cross. That sweet infant's head with sparkling eyes and eager mouth was formed so that someday men might force a crown of thorns onto it. That tender body, warm and soft, wrapped in swaddling cloths, would one day be ripped open by a spear.

Jesus was born to die."

The excerpt from the book reminded me of a verse that I read last night in the book of Revelations. John was talking about believers and said in chapter 12 verse 11:

"And they have conquered him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."

We, too, were born to die...not for the sins of the world...but to die to self and sin (1 Peter 2:24) that Christ might reign supreme and that those around us might see Christ. We are simply clay jars...vessels that could have been used for honor or for dishonor...it was Christ who reached down, picked up the broken vessel of our lives, and put HIMSELF inside. And, somehow, though it seems almost unfathomable, He is on display in our lives!

"Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift! I Cor. 9:15

A Wintery First!

The kids woke up to prayers answered...and the answer was yes!:) It was a very wet snow as it rained the rest of the day...but that didn't keep the kids from enjoying it. Mean old mom still made them do their school work first (thanks, Dad, for helping out too!)and Titus and Caleb continue to bless my heart with their love for each other and the way they always find plenty to do together while we homeschool. I couldn't help but take this picture of them playing the piano together! It was so fun to witness yet another "first" for Samuel and Caleb! Caleb informed us that it was too cold and he didn't want to go outside...but after the house emptied out and he realized that he was the only one left, he quickly changed his tune.They enjoyed their time in the snow and did their best to make something that resembled a "sledding hill". "He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'" Job 37:6

Santa....where does he fit in your Christmas?

Whether you "do" or you "don't" when it comes to Santa Claus at Christmas, I followed the links on "Girltalk Blog" and read a couple of great articles by Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile. Don't let the fact that you can't say his name fool you!:) He is a wise pastor from the Cayman Islands with lots of great things to share!

Santa seems to be one of those "traditions" passed down, but how many of us have actually spent much time thinking through just what we are celebrating at Christmas. Pastor Thabiti does a great job answering some tough questions as well as giving some great advice to us parents on how to handle the questions we (or our kids) might be asked at Christmastime!

Head over to "Girltalk" and take a few minutes to read!