Better Done Than Perfect!

 

"Better done than perfect!"

It's one of our new mottoes around here, and it was heard numerous times yesterday.

I always thought I'd be one of those moms who did up every little holiday in a big way.

Then our life went crazy, and I did well for many years to make sure the Christmas tree was up and decorated by Christmas (which is actually a bit misleading, because for the last I'm-not-sure-how-many-years, Billy and the kids have taken the lead on that particular project) and that everyone had birthday presents and their favorite meal on their special day.  I've managed to make sure that the kids' have Easter treats every year (even the year that that involved my long-suffering friend Jodie taking me to Wal-Mart to buy cheesy pre-made Easter baskets on Saturday night as I rode in a motorized cart rather than hopping through the store on crutches to avoid putting weight on the ankle I'd broken earlier in the week...), and we almost-always get in a DIY Christmas photo shoot (even if I never manage to get cards made). 

I've had great intentions, but for all kinds of reasons, they too often remain exactly that...intentions.

(Please note that I'm not talking about missing the true meaning of the seasons...that's one thing we've put a priority on over the years, and for that I'm thankful!  We even usually manage to get in some good stuff about the historical significance of "lesser" holidays.  We just struggle with some of the extras I always wanted and planned to include. :))

I know we've made a lot of good memories along the way, and we have our own, sometimes rather odd, traditions.  But the older my kids get the more determined I am to make more of those intentions into reality.

Which was why I got up in a bit of a funk yesterday morning realizing that Valentine's Day had dawned and I simply wasn't ready.

While other moms were up creating super-special pink and red Valentine breakfasts, I was struggling to get up and moving due to pain issues, looking at the small pile of not-yet-put-together Valentine goodie bag ingredients in the corner of my bedroom, and despairing that not one of the Valentine craft/decorating projects we'd planned in anticipation of the day had actually come to be. 

Although this year I had actually made progress toward getting things done ahead of time, the weather, calendar, and health issues had tripped me up again.  As I put my slippers on and limped into the dining room to start the day, I contemplated how easy it would be to give up, go back to bed, and concede defeat.

Instead, I breathed a prayer that God would make of our day what He wanted it to be, that He would give me wisdom, energy and strength to do what I needed to do to make the day special for our family, and that He would help me to focus on Him as the true source of love, rather than my feelings of failure.

I sat at my desk and began to plan.  No, I wouldn't have a cute pink-and-red Valentine breakfast ready when the kids got out of bed, and no, their Valentine treats wouldn't be waiting on the table first thing in the morning, and no, the house hadn't been decorated with hearts all week...but we would celebrate regardless!

We would work on a couple of crafty/decorating projects together, and enjoy them for the next few weeks instead of the previous few. We would make Valentine's cookies, and we would have a special Valentine's dinner/party, by which time I would have everyone's goodie bags ready to go.

It still didn't all go as planned, and we had to flex a bit in several places, but by dinner time, we'd finished a couple of crafty/decor projects, the goodie bags were ready, and we had yummy White Cheese Chicken Enchiladas for our special Valentine meal. (In the interest of transparency, I should probably point out that we didn't get the cookies made, but those will be a fun treat for another day.)

None of it was perfect...but it was done!  And...we'd made some fun and special memories.

Life is just not perfect, and around here it's usually just plain crazy.  I'm one of those who struggles sometimes with feeling that if it can't be perfect, why do it at all?  God has spent the last ten years working on me in that.  We aren't perfect, the world around us is not perfect, and sometimes we just need to let go of our expectations and be content with  the place in which God has put us.

The key, as He keeps reminding me, is to focus on Him and not my feelings of failure, to give it to Him and let His strength work in my weakness...even in "trivial" things like Valentine's Day plans. He can redeem our weaknesses and failures and turn them into something beautiful!

(Even the pictures that I tried to get to document our day weren't perfect. The lighting in our living room wouldn't allow me to get a decent photo of our Valentine garland, and the glare on the glass in the front door made getting a photo of our wreath next to impossible.  Finally I took it all out in the backyard to try to get some shots...but the wind was blowing like crazy, so that was a challenge, too.  I finally had to say, "Better done than perfect!" about those as well, and head in to finish supper. :) )

Are you a perfectionist?  Do you struggle with unfinished (or unstarted?) projects?  Be encouraged, and remember with me that "Done is Better Than Perfect"!  Join with me in jumping in to finish some of those unfinished/intended-but-not-started projects this year. Do you have a "Better Done Than Perfect" story of your own?  Please share with us in the comments! 

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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.  (And if you really want to make my day, leave me a comment below, or drop me a note via the email box in the sidebar. :))

"The Cure for the Troubled Soul"

It came rushing back to me during Bro. Gary's sermon one recent Sunday morning, this post, that is.  I sat remembering the most painful time in my life, in the lives of every member of our family, and our tiny little Gracie-girl toddling through the house singing over and over,

Bow the Knee

"Bow the knee;

Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.

Bow the Knee;

Lift your eyes toward Heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.

And when you don't understand the purpose of His plan,

In the presence of the King,

Bow the knee."

~Chris Machen and Mike Harland

Bow the Knee. I remember the realization hitting like a lightning bolt.  "This is to be our response to trials, trouble, pain, and confusion: worship."

As I said in that previous post, 

I was so struck by the meaning of those words. When our world turns upside down, when nothing about life makes sense, when God's answers to our prayers are nowhere near what we expected...our immediate response should be to "bow the knee". That is the answer. Worship--focusing on Who He is and responding in awe and obedience--is the key. Plain and simple. But how hard do we often make it, and how rarely do we actually practice it!

  
Worship--focusing on Who He is and responding in awe and obedience--is the key. Plain and simple.  It sounds so simple, but when our hearts are hurting, when we are drowning in confusion, when God's path for us seems a million miles from what we'd expected...then it doesn't seem so simple.

And yet, as Bro. Gary's sermon Sunday morning reminded me...simple or not, the treatment for the troubled soul is indeed that: to cry out to the Father, to put our focus on Him, and to worship Him.

In John 12:27, Jesus says that His soul is troubled.  He KNEW what was about to come (his arrest, torture, and crucifixion), and He didn't want to go there. 

I realized several years ago that despite our human wish to "know what's coming", it's often a true blessing that we don't.  If I'd had any idea 10 years ago last week that in just a few days I'd be headed to Little Rock in the back of an ambulance in the middle of a snowstorm, I would have run screaming the other direction as fast as my 30-weeks-pregnant body could go (which wasn't very fast, but you get the idea.)  If God had told me ahead of time that our family would be betrayed and our children harmed by someone we dearly loved and trusted, well, I'm really not sure what would have happened, but it wouldn't have been good.  As much as I *think* I'd like to know exactly what God has planned for me and for my family in advance, He's teaching me that it's really better that I don't.

I'm reminded of that again here.  Jesus knew every horrible, graphically-awful detail of what was about to happen.  He knew that He would be betrayed by one of his closest companions, that He would be beaten and humiliated, and that He would die a miserably painful death by one of the worst methods known in human history.  Worst of all, He knew that He would bear the sin of all mankind on Himself, and that in that, He would endure separation from His Father...total, complete alienation...before gloriously rising again and being restored to His place at the Father's right hand.

"His soul was troubled" seems to me to be one of the greatest understatements ever. I don't know that there are even words in our language adequate to express His anguish at that point.

And yet in the very next verse, we see the "cure" for the troubled soul:

"Father, glorify your name.”

When our soul is troubled, when we are in agonizing pain, when God's plan seems too much to comprehend, we are to do what Jesus did: Go to the Father.  We are to cry out to Him, put our focus on Him, and glorify Him.  Worship Him!

That's not usually our first response in those times. We want the pain to go away.  We do whatever we think may get rid of it.  We may beg God to remove it.  We want it GONE.

"But," as Bro. Gary said Sunday morning, "Jesus was all about bringing glory to God. It brings God great joy when we glorify Him."

And turning to Him, crying out to Him, and glorifying Him is the cure for our troubled soul.

As with Jesus here, God doesn't always (or even, I would daresay, usually) take away the circumstances that are troubling our soul. Satan is going to buffet us, right up until the end.

But when we cry out to God, when we go to His Word, He speaks to us and eases our troubled souls with peace that passes understanding. He reminds us that there is coming a time when Satan will be driven out, and that for the Christian, that time of Judgement will be a time of victory.  For those who are born again, as Bro. Gary said, "Our victory is sealed because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ."

That's the triumph of the troubled soul.  Because even though we don't know the details of the path between here and there, we know the end of the story.

Cry out to Him. Worship Him. And rest in the sure and certain hope of the victory to come.

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Is your soul troubled today? First, be sure you know Him. Not just know about Him, but truly know Him.  Then cry out to Him. Worship Him.  Rest in Him.  May I pray for you?  Please message me through the email box on the right.  Do you know someone whose soul is aching today?  Share this post with them, perhaps?

Creativity Conversations...

Last year I started a series called Creativity Thursdays, planning to post every Thursday on the topic of creativity.  Then life went a bit bananas, as it tends to do :), and that series fell by the wayside.  One of my (as yet unwritten) goals for 2014 is to resurrect that series...beginning today! 

Another of those 2014 goals is to consistently dedicate some of our group time during school to stretching our creative muscles.  Yesterday I introduced my (very preliminary at this point) plans on that to the kids during group time.  I love the ways that God works in timing things in our learning!  We have also begun a new adventure in our Bible time...a Bible study on Who God Is, working our way through the Bible with a specific goal of what God says about Himself in Scripture.  Each of us is reading the day's assigned passage and journaling in some way (note-taking, art journaling, etc.) what we learn from it about who God is.  Then we discuss the next day during group time.

We started yesterday with Genesis 1.  It was amazing the things we pulled from that chapter about God's character!  It was a good start to our study, and I am so looking forward to what God is going to do in our lives and our family as we continue it.

One of the things that excited me about yesterday was the fact that our Bible study dovetailed so beautifully with our creativity study.  The first chapter of Genesis, of course, is all about God as Creator.  Creativity begins with Him, and as beings created in His image, He created us to be creative as well!  We discussed that creativity is a character quality we are to work to build in our lives, just like diligence or sensitivity. 

We discussed what people typically think of as "creativity"...being able to draw, or paint, or write music, or decorate beautifully...and that while those things are all part of creativity, true creativity encompasses so much more.  We discussed this definition of creativity:

Ability to produce something new through imaginative skill, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form. The term generally refers to a richness of ideas and originality of thinking.

We certainly use creativity in artistic endeavors, but we also use creativity in managing a home, solving problems at work, training our children, and using our finances wisely.  A bit earlier, we'd been talking about cancer, and the need for a cure for such a horrid disease, and as we talked about creativity, we realized that even such things as finding cures for horrible diseases involves creativity...people looking at a problem (cancer and other diseases) in a new way in order to find a solution.

One of the children had brought out during our Bible study that Genesis 1 shows us that God does everything for a reason, with purpose and order.  I realized that that is an aspect of Godly creativity as well.  "Creative types" (and those of us who wish to be :)) often use creativity as an excuse for disorder and chaos.  And yet the Bible says that God is not a God of disorder and confusion. (1 Cor. 14:33)

While I may like to think that my (currently out-of-control...ack!) cluttered desk is a sign of a creative mind, it's actually a sign of other, much less positive things.  I've read more and more articles and books in recent years talking about clutter being an enemy of creativity.  Ouch!!

I'm well aware from personal experience that this is true.  The more cluttered and chaotic my workspace (and my life!) gets, the harder it is for me to be creative in any way.  I'm afraid that is one (among many) reasons for my difficulty in blogging of late...the disorder has gotten out of hand, making it even harder to focus.  (And yes, cleaning off my desk is at the top of my "to do" list at the moment...I'll try to report back when I have tamed the beast!)

I'm looking forward to our Creativity Conversations (and activities to go along with them!) during this season of our schooling, and I'm looking forward to sharing more about creativity here on the blog as well.  I'd love for that to be interactive sharing...for you to be involved in those conversations by sharing your thoughts, ideas, resources, and creative pursuits in the comments!  I'm also toying with the idea of a linky where you could link up your creativity-related posts.  Would you be interested in participating?  Please let me know in the comments!

Happy Creativity Thursday!

Previous Posts in This Series:
Teaching Creativity When You Don't Feel Creative (And Why Do I Need to Teach Creativity Anyway?)
Teaching Creativity: Where Do We Start?
20 Resources for Teaching Creativity
Teaching Creativity: Creative Challenges for Kids



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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.  (And if you really want to make my day, leave me a comment below, or drop me a note via the email box in the sidebar. :))

"...Who Daily Bears Our Burdens"

Do you have those times when a verse of Scripture just completely knocks you off your feet?

This morning was one of those times.

My friend Charlene  posted this verse on Facebook this morning.  Just a simple verse...14 words...but wow, what powerful words they are!

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
    who daily bears our burdens. ~ Psalm 68:19 NIV

As I read them, I began to meditate on their meaning, and I was overcome with awe and gratefulness.  

He is LORD.  Lord of the universe.  Lord over all things.  Bro. Gary says so often..."People want Him to be Savior, but they don't want Him to be Lord.  And you can't have one without the other!"

He is LORD.  I've recently begun meditating on Philippians 2 and plan to memorize it in the first quarter of this year.  Philippians 2:9-11 elaborate on the fact that He is Lord:

Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

He is also our Savior.  We're just coming out of the Christmas season...our family just packed up the Christmas tree today, in fact.  We've celebrated His coming to earth as a baby in order to become fully man (while remaining fully God, in a way we can't begin to understand) so that He could save us from our sin and destruction.  

He is Lord of the universe. He has already provided salvation for us through His death and resurrection, and now He is seated in glory at the right hand of the Father...

...and yet, He "daily bears our burdens."  

Wow.  

Daily. Bears. Our. Burdens. 

Let those words soak in.  

The God of the universe, Lord of all things, Savior of the world "daily bears our burdens."  

All of them.  

Those days when the burdens seem absolutely, totally, completely overwhelming...crushing, even...He carries them.  The days when we get a terrifying medical diagnosis, receive notice that we've lost a job, discover a child is being horribly abused, or lose a loved one we can't imagine living without...on those days, He bears our burdens.

And those days when the burdens might seem minor in the scheme of things, and yet they weigh us down so heavily...He carries them.  The never-ending to do list, a strained friendship, financial struggles, whining children...the stressors that burden us in the daily ordinary...He bears those burdens. 

He not only carries those burdens...He carries US through them.  The Amplified translation puts it this way: 

 Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God Who is our salvation! Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!  ~ Psalm 68:19 AMP

He carries us day by day.  He carries us close to His heart!  I love the ending there..."pause, and calmly think of that".  I don't know about you, but when I'm feeling burdened and overwhelmed, that is not my typical reaction.  And yet I want it to be!   

I want to remember in all the stresses and strains and burdens to come in 2014 to "pause, and calmly think" of Jesus carrying not only the burdens that threaten to overwhelm, but carrying me (and those I love) through them as well.

Has God already knocked you off your feet with His Word this year?  Please share in the comments!  

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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful regular friend, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.  (And if you really want to make my day, leave me a comment below, or drop me a note via the email box in the sidebar. :))

Top 25 Posts of 2013

I really haven't forgotten I have a blog, I promise...despite the fact that it appears that way from my posts (or lack thereof!) over the past few months.  A few months ago, I found myself with some  unusual "downtime" where I was away from the responsibilities of the house and family, as well as offline, several hours a day for a few weeks.  During that time, I drafted quite a few blog posts, planning to come back to them when I was home and online to add photos, links, and finishing touches, and then post.

Somehow, the time to do that never materialized. The bad news about that is that the blog has been very quiet during the last quarter of this year.  The good news is that there should be a ton of new content coming in 2014!

In the meantime, it's time for the top 25 posts from Pondering of an Elect Exile in 2013.  This list consists of the most-read posts this year.  I hope to post my favorites from 2013 in the next day or two.  :)

#25 ~ From Bittersweet Last Times to Breathtaking Amazement ~ This post has actually been on my mind several times recently.

The thing about those "last times" that we don't realize are last times is that we don't realize that we are going to want to look back and cherish them, so we don't necessarily even remember them.

That's how it is with July 1, 2006, for me...

#24 ~ How to Empty a 9 x 13 Pan in Nothing Flat {Pecan Pie Bars} ~  This was probably our favorite new recipe of 2013. Yum!!

#23 ~ Monday Morning Meditation ~ A good reminder as we close one year and begin another...

What a reminder...there are no "lower-level" Christians.  If we have been called as followers of Christ, we have equal standing with the likes of Peter!   That is not only an encouragement, but a challenge...we have no excuses...we have everything that Peter, James, John, and Paul had.


That thought was reinforced in verse 3..."His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness", or as the NIV says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life".   "All things", "everything we need"...as I've heard over and over from various preachers/teachers through the years..."all means all".  If we are His, there is nothing that we lack that is needed to live a godly life.

 #22 ~ Happy Birthday, Ammah Grace!

Some time after we were finally settled at home, I began to search in earnest for the meaning of our tiny girl's name.  When I finally found it, I was totally overwhelmed at the ways God works even in the little things.  "Ammah" is actually a Biblical place name meaning, "God's people".  I still get goosebumps typing that after all these years...thinking about the significance that "God's people" had in Ammah Grace's life...the thousands that prayed, and the many who helped us in so many ways during those days.  I am so thankful that God gave us that name as a lifelong reminder to thank Him for the people that He used in her life and in the lives of our family during those days.

#21 ~ 20 Authors Who Have Radically Impacted My Life, Part 1 and Part 2 ~ 

Favorite books for me are kind of like favorite hymns....there are way too many choices, and other than a short...or maybe not-so-short...list of all-time favorites, the ones closest to my heart generally change depending on what is going on in my life at the time.

However, a list of favorite authors is a little easier. There are just some whose writing consistently speaks to me, and who have been used in great ways in my life over the years.

#20 ~ The Penrod Posts ~ A mystery solved, and a recap of all the Guy Penrod posts here over the years...

We love Guy.  We love him not only for his music, but for his heart for God and for people.  I'm thrilled to have others who appreciate Guy's music and ministry visiting the blog this week!  I hope you'll grab a  cup of coffee or an ice cold drink and stay a while!

#19 ~ Moralistic Therapeutic WHAT? Chilling Words on Young People and the Church ~  

When we think of the term "false gospel", we generally tend to think of cults and false religions: Mormonism, Islam, etc.  However, the "false gospel" that seems to be overtaking us now is a different one: one which is much more insidious, much more subtle, and so very, very dangerous. 

#18 ~ 20 Resources for Teaching Creativity ~  Part of the "Teaching Creativity to Children" Series, which I hope to revive this year!

#17 ~ Monday Funday!! ~Still working on the "fun mom" thing...but I'm making progress! :)

Recently...through a whole conglomeration of things, God has been pricking me about this.  Now...nowhere in the Bible does it say "Thou Shalt Be a Fun Parent".  In fact, there are verses that could be interpreted (and have!) in the other direction.  So what's wrong with not being a fun mom?

#16 ~ Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls ~ Another yummy new recipe, and an update to the "From Bittersweet Last Times to Breathtaking Amazement" post.

#15 ~ Of Favorite Hymns, Not-So-Weird Tears, and a 19th Century Teenager ~

Those words, though, those words still completely overwhelm me.  "God has been so good to me."

#14 ~ What a Legacy, and What a Hope! ~  We've said good-bye to some very special people in the last 53 weeks as they've gone Home to see Jesus face to face.  We have rejoiced for them, but oh, how we miss them, and how we ache for their families, who are never far from our hearts and prayers.  Mrs. Merlene was one of those people.  She left an amazing legacy, perhaps the most amazing part of which was that she wouldn't have considered herself in any way amazing.  She loved the Lord, she loved people, and His love radiated from her in all she did.  And in the days surrounding her death, we heard over and over and over again of lives that she impacted in amazing ways.

#13 ~ The Original Claremore Road Trip Adventure! ~Our first crazy Claremore road trip adventure, to see Steve Ladd, Jonathan Martin, and Michael English. 

Although I don't have the specifics of the things I heard that night that impacted me so much, I do know that God used that concert mightily in my life.  Steve spoke about obedience, trusting God, and stepping out in faith.  Jonathan told about growing up in the backwoods of Arkansas with no electricity, and how God used that to prepare him and his sisters for their current ministry.  Michael shared his testimony of ruin and redemption.

#12 ~ The Ten Commandments of Slow Cooking ~ Great guest post by my blogging friend K.M. Logan!

#11 ~ Spilling Out and Flowing Over {Mary, Martha, and and Raw, Honest Struggle} ~  Oh, wow, did I need to re-read this now as we are entering this new year!  Interesting that Bro. Gary took a brief break from the book of John on Sunday mornings, but now we are back there, and talking about Mary and Martha all over again. :)  Also interesting that last night we watched "Pilgrim's Progress" at our NYE fellowship...what a great visual of those distractions along the journey!

#10 ~ It's a {Daybook} Monday (or Maybe Not!:)) ~ Not sure why this particular Daybook post had so many views, but I needed to re-read it today, too, so I'm glad it did!  I really enjoy reading back through old Daybook posts; I'm going to try to do more of them in 2014.

I started last week very motivated and encouraged and ready to take on the world...only to crash and burn in a major way by the end of the week.  God has been gently putting me back together over the weekend and strengthening me to climb back in the saddle (quite figuratively speaking!) and press on.  I realized as I read this this morning that a huge part of my crash last week involved letting past failures and my perception of future needs completely overshadow God's provision and grace for today and this moment, and consequently let them completely overwhelm me.  Learning from the past and planning for the future are both wise...but the most important thing is living today well...trusting and obeying and rejoicing and accepting God's grace in and for this moment.  Oh, how I need to learn and re-learn this! 

#9 ~ For Overwhelmed Me...and Maybe Overwhelmed You? On "One of Those Mondays" ~  Another Monday, more Mary and Martha, more reminders to abide in Him, Romans 8, and "Do the Next Thing"...

Physical impairments, circumstantial stressors, "what ifs?" piling on top of "what ifs?" 
All are surface problems. 
The root, I know...needing to sit at Jesus's feet like Mary.
And yet I struggle to clear the way.

#8 ~ If I Were Stuck on a Desert Island With One Adhesive {Glue Dots} ~ A rather silly post about one of my favorite products. :)

#7 ~ Teaching Creativity: Creativity Challenges for Kids ~ Looking for creativity challenges for kids (or the whole family!) in 2014?  Here you go!

#6 ~ Saying Good-Bye... ~ Roy has been in Heaven just over a year now, and we still miss him like crazy.  He was only part of our lives for a short time, but he made a big impact on all of us.

#5 ~ Works for Me Wednesday {Electric Skillet Love} ~ A simple little post on a most useful small appliance. :)

#4 ~ For Such a Time {Online Friendships and the Body of Christ} ~ This is one of those post I wrote through many tears.  I still can't read it without more tears...happy and sad ones all muddled together.

We hear so much negative (and there is so much negative) about social media, online relationships, and the internet in general.  As with almost anything in this fallen world, these things can be used very wrongly, and can indeed be quite dangerous. 

And yet, I am always amazed and thrilled at the ways that God can use even modern technology for His glory.

#3 ~ Vintage Eats {Daddy's Mexican Cornbread} ~ Planning to make some of this this weekend as part of an "extended" birthday celebration...Daddy used to make this for my birthday meal every year, and it's still one of my favorites!  (I'm hoping to post more in the Vintage Eats series this year, too...I have a whole list of recipes and stories to share!)

#2 ~ A Long Overdue Road Trip Adventure {Claremore Gordon Mote Concert} ~ Another concert, another Claremore road trip adventure!


#1 ~ St. Paul {Guy Penrod} Weekend, Part 7...My Favorite Moment of the Whole Whirlwind Trip! ~  This was one of my favorite moments of 2012, but it didn't make it onto the blog until 2013. :)   Love these people and this story!

Did you have a favorite read on Ponderings of an Elect Exile this year?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments!  Or share a favorite post from your own blog (or elsewhere in the blogosphere).  I'd love to see what has encouraged, helped, or entertained you this year!
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Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful regular friend, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.  (And if you really want to make my day, leave me a comment below, or drop me a note via the email box in the sidebar. :))

"...And carries them close to His Heart."

Nine years ago today was my daddy's funeral, in the midst of the elaborate sets used in the Christmas musical the previous night.

Daddy died the night of Dress Rehearsal. That was Thursday.  The optimal day for the funeral was on Monday.  Bro. Phil, Lyndel, and Mr. Danny had one concern: there was no way they could get the sets down in time for a Monday funeral after the Sunday night performance.  We looked at each other and said almost in unison, "It's okay.  He would have loved that.  He loved the choir and musicals so much.  It will be perfect."  They agreed.

The choir he had loved so much stood in the midst of the Christmas sets and sang a simple but amazing arrangement of one of his favorite hymns, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.  It's one of those memories I cherish dearly.

There are many of those memories.  I've shared several here before (see link above).  One of  those cherished memories is Isaiah 40:11.

I was very much a Daddy's girl, and I struggled hard from the Sunday morning in the hospital that we realized that the current "sickness"...a second round of cancer on top of already complicated health issues...would be, short of a true miracle, a "sickness unto death".

The week Daddy died, we knew the end was near, and I sat on the end of his bed one night and cried as we together realized his fight and the pain that accompanied it were almost over.  Afterward, I emailed a few friends who had been faithful prayer warriors and burden bearers throughout Daddy's illness, sharing my heartache at the thought of what was to come.

My friend Jodie replied with this verse:

He tends His flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in His arms
and carries them close to His heart;
    He gently leads those that have young.

~Isaiah 40:11

Neither of us had any idea what an impact that verse would have on my life from that day forward. I clung to it throughout the days of Daddy's death and funeral. I clung to it during the 18 months of intense grieving that followed.  I clung to it during the trauma our family experienced just as we were beginning to feel that we had settled in to a "new normal" and the devastating weeks, months, and years afterward.  I clung to it again when we received a most unwelcome medical diagnosis for one of our children almost two years ago.

I've also shared it many, many times with others going through painful times.  I've prayed it for many over the years...that they would feel God holding them close to His heart, as a shepherd cradles a baby lamb.

In the days following Daddy's death, Jodie went on a "sheep hunt", searching out reminders of that verse to encourage me during those hard days: a beautiful lamb card, a calendar, and my favorite - an Isaiah 40:11 refrigerator magnet.

Today the kids and I made our annual trip to Hobby Lobby for everyone to pick a new ornament for the year.  We were late getting there this year, and the selection wasn't nearly as good as it would have been earlier in the season; however, everyone finally managed to find the "perfect" ornament.

As the kids picked out their ornaments and we all worked together to find the right one for Billy, I saw several that were cute or pretty or interesting, but none that jumped out at me as my ornament for the year.  Just as I was about to give up, though, I saw it...a simple little sheep.

The kids clamored to see what I had picked.  I think they were a bit surprised.  "It's for my verse - Isaiah 40:11," I explained, the one Mrs. Jodie sent me before Papaw died...the one about God holding us close to His heart like a shepherd holds a baby lamb."

I had thought about the date earlier in the week, but today had been so crazy that I didn't remember it was the anniversary of Daddy's funeral until I was looking at the pictures I took after we decorated the tree this evening.

"What a perfect 'standing stone'," I thought, "a reminder of His faithfulness and care always." 

I'm so thankful for that faithfulness and care.  I'm thankful that He carries us close to His heart as the shepherd carries the baby lamb.  I'm thankful for the truth of His Word, which is always living and relevant.  I'm thankful for friends who listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to encourage and remind me of His Word at just the right times.  I'm thankful for God's perfect timing, and for standing stones of remembrance.

What verse has God used to encourage you in dark days?  What "standing stones" remind you of His faithfulness? I'd love to hear about them in the comments!  

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Thank you for stopping by! If you're new here, welcome! I'd love to hear from you in the comments or via the email option in the sidebar. If you'd like to keep up with future posts,  it's easy to follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.  Or find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email. . Thanks!

How to Empty a 9x13 Pan in Nothing Flat {Pecan Pie Bars}

Billy loves pecan pie.  

I love almost anything made with refrigerated crescent roll dough. 

I bought a multipack  of crescent roll dough at Sam's the other day.  I always get excited when they have them during the holidays (way cheaper than they can be found elsewhere).  I save up recipes all year. :) 

When I came across a recipe for pecan pie bars with a crescent roll crust earlier this week, I knew it was a must-try.  And I already had all the ingredients...bonus! :) 

I made them tonight.  The recipe says to cool an hour before cutting.  Little glitch there...they were gone before the hour was up. :)  I have to say, they were amazing warm.  So I recommend ignoring that part of the recipe. 

Billy said the only thing that would make them better is a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.  We'll have to try that next time.  :)  I'm not sure we could handle them being any better, though, as quickly as people inhaled them! 

Have you tried a new recipe yet this holiday season?  Share it with us in the comments, please! 

Pecan Pie Bars

1 can crescent roll dough

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

2 T butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350. 

Press dough into a 9x13 pan. Pinch seams together, and press dough up sides slightly. 

Bake 8 minutes.

Mix other ingredients and pour over crust. 

Bake 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. 

Let cool 1 hour before cutting.  (Ha! Go ahead and try!) 

Serve with vanilla ice cream. (Billy's addition. :))

YUMMM. Enjoy! 

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Thank you for stopping by! If you're new here, welcome! I'd love to hear from you in the comments or via the email option in the sidebar. If you'd like to keep up with future posts,  it's easy to follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.  You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email. I'm also on Instagram at jenbh68. Thanks!

Linking up with Family Fun Friday this week.  Be sure to go over and check out all the wonderful ideas for family fun!