Simple Woman's Daybook {End of Blogathon Edition!!}

It's the last day of Blogathon. I have to publish a post in the next five hours in order to be able to say I completed the 2014 June Blogathon challenge.  And this year has been a challenge for sure!  There have been nights I have blogged through sheer, absolute exhaustion, but I have made it, 29 days in a row.

And an hour ago I wondered if I was going to have to admit defeat 6 hours and one post before the finish line.

I used to have horrid migraine-intensity headaches quite frequently.  In the last few years, those headaches have happened much less often. Typically if I'm going to have one, I'll wake up with it.  It's rare for one to hit later in the day.

The last few weeks, though, the mid-and-late-day headaches have begun to strike again. One hit tonight...hard.  Today has been crazy...catching up from the utter chaos of last week (my mom's accident, my working for her, Billy being on vacation, etc., etc.), paying bills, and trying to get in a "real" workout at the gym, after the helter-skelter workouts of last week.

I got home from the gym, fixed a quick sandwich and salad supper for those who were home at the time, sat down in my chair and realized, "I could go to sleep right now."  I know that part of that is the heat...I don't do heat well anymore...and I also realized that part of it was that I woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep.

Even since I started this post, I've caught myself nodding off at my desk. But I am determined to finish out this month...I'm too close to quit now!  So...we'll wrap up this month's Blogathon with another Simple Woman's Daybook post, and then I'm ready for some quality time with my pillow! :)

30 June 2014

Outside my window...sunny and hot.

I am thinking...about this Spurgeon quote Bro. Gary shared last night:

It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.

I couldn't help but think about the timeliness of that reminder.  Eight years ago Wednesday, our world exploded. God hurt us deeply. More deeply than we could ever have dreamed. But oh, how He has blessed! Through the darkest of those days, He showed us Himself in ways I don't know that we could ever have seen otherwise.  He continues to remind us of His sovereignty, faithfulness, goodness, and love. 

And I am thankful...for the blessing of that hurt, and those constant reminders!

In the kitchen...once again, working on reducing our food waste. We get busy, I get sidetracked, and we end up tossing way too much. I hate it!!  And with the price of groceries going up every day, we need to be better stewards of our resources. 

I am wearing...black exercise capris and a black t-shirt

I am creating...I hope I'm going to do a better job of creating ICADS (Index Card A Day) in July than I did in June!  I'm hoping to do all 31 days in July.  I need the creative challenge!  Ammah Grace has been doing really well with hers, though, and I'm looking forward to posting pictures of hers soon!

I am wondering...if I'm really going to finish this post by midnight, lol!  Tonight has been full of interruptions, and my brain is mush to begin with.

I am reading...working my way through this list of books. I'm hoping my head settles enough to get in a bit of reading before bed.  I'm a bit behind, with June almost over!

I am hoping...all is well across the street. As I was typing this post, we heard sirens, and suddenly there were four fire trucks across the street and down a couple of houses. However, there aren't any visible flames, and the firemen don't seem to be moving with urgency. Hoping it was a false alarm or a small kitchen fire that was easily doused. 

And hoping that we are done with the excitement around here for a while!  The police have been here twice this week (they got the wrong address when they came to arrest a neighbor at 3:45 a.m. the other morning, and then were back the next day when our mower was stolen right off our porch.) Craziness!

I am looking forward to...celebrating Independence Day on Friday! 

I am learning...a lot about the science of exercise/fitness! I've mentioned before that I'm a researcher at heart, and anytime we start something new, I dig into the research. :) Right now it's all about weights, physical fitness, and fueling the body before and after workouts.

Around the house...catching up from our "vacation" week last week. :) Enough said!

I am pondering...plans for the second half of 2014!  Not only am I working on plans for the new month that begins tomorrow, but I'm also making plans for the rest of the year. I hope to share more about that soon!

A favorite quote for today...

"It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end. So that when you and I come to lie upon our death beds, the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us in the beginning. Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the Grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace wondrous grace. By the grace of God I am what I am. Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me." 

~Martyn Lloyd-Jones via Scotty Smith

One of my favorite things...watching Bay prepare for VBS.  She is lead teacher for the 5 year old class this year, and she has worked so hard putting things together. Makes me teary sometimes to see the work God is doing in her life! :)

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Helping Bay finish the last of her VBS plans

TKD Tuesday and Thursday

Normal chores, school, and church stuff

Gym at least 3 more days

Independence Day cookout with our church family Friday :)

A photo to share...

Emlyn and I both got our ears pierced Friday. :)  We'd both had them pierced before, but for various reasons, our holes had grown up.  We'd been talking for a while about having them re-done, and Friday we made a rather spur-of-the-moment trip for new holes! :)

It's 9:19 p.m., and I'm just about to hit "publish" on the last post of the June 2014 Blogathon.  Can I get a WhoooHooo????!!!!  I would do a happy dance, but my headache is trying to come back, so I think I'll just say "YAAAAAAYYYY" without moving my head at all, or even making very much noise. :)

What's going on in your life this week?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments here or on Facebook!

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  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. 

Linking up with the Simple Woman's Daybook. Thanks to Peggy for hosting!

______________________________

Pew Ponderings: Placing Ourselves Deeply

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

~Ephesians 4:16 

Ephesians 4 is just one of those super-meaty chapters that you could spend months delving into and still have more depths to plumb.  It covers topics such as our calling in Christ, heart attitudes, unity in the body, salvation and grace, the importance of sound doctrine, putting off sin and being made a new creature, wholesome talk, grieving the Holy Spirit, and our behavior toward one another.

Whew!  Much to chew on there!

Verse 16 compares the church to the body, and says that just as the body is connected by "every supporting ligament", so the body of Christ is joined together.  The body grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work.  What a picture!

Spiritual growth doesn't happen in a vacuum.  I've been doing research lately on physical fitness and weight training. One of the important things to remember when weight training is to work the body evenly.  If you work certain parts of the body and not others, you end up with all kinds of problems!  Not every member of a church body is going to grow at exactly the same pace, but ideally, we should all be growing together.
 
Last Sunday I introduced a new Sunday series, Pew Ponderings, as well as the book on which I'll be basing the next few posts, Love Me With Tough Love, by Anne Ortlund. Anne opens chapter one by explaining the three priorities her husband led their church to adopt:

1. to put God first, individually and as a church,
2. to put each other in God's family second in priority, and 
3. to put the needy world third.

(We'll look at those priorities themselves in more depth in a later post.)
 
She shares some of the "together" memories from their church body over the years, living by these priorities, and then asks,

Have you got a headful of "together" memories? Christians all around you are waiting for your input, lonely for your love, hungry for what you know about Christ that they don't yet know.

I am blessed to have a headful of those memories.  I could do a whole post (or a whole series of posts!) on those memories. I started to add a few here, and then realized I couldn't begin to limit it to just a few. Maybe someday!

Next Anne shares a list of 13 ways the New Testament tells us to communicate with each other as Christian believers.  I'd love to do a printable of these to keep close by always! They'd make a great Bible Study. Or maybe a blog series someday. :)   Here's the list:

1. Suffering together: 1 Corinthians 12:26
2. Rejoicing together: Romans 12:15
3. Carrying each others' burdens: Galatians 6:2
4. Restoring each other: Galatians 6:1
5. Praying for one another: Romans 15:30
6. Teaching and admonishing one another: Colossians 3:16
7. Refreshing one another: Romans 15:32
8. Encouraging one another: Romans 1:12
9. Forgiving one another: Ephesians 4:32
10. Confessing to one another: James 5:16
11. Being truthful with one another: Ephesians 4:25
12. Spurring one another on toward good deeds: Hebrews 10:24
13. Giving to one another: Philippians 4:14-15

As you read this list, do faces and memories pop into your mind?  Some bring back more "together" memories than others for me, but all bring back at least a few.  They are also quite convicting to me!  Am I communicating in each of these ways with those around me: my family, my friends, my church family? Not just the ones that come more easily to me, but all of them? 

Anne wrote this at the bottom of her list:

"Have I placed myself so deeply within a living, functioning local body that I myself am functioning in all these ways, and so living as a well-rounded, healthy, contributing member of the body of Christ?" 

Let's look at that for just a minute.

1.Have I placed myself deeply within a living, functioning local body? There's a lot to consider right there!  First, am I in a local body?  Not watching services online, not a group meeting together watching some far-away preacher by satellite, but a local body with an onsite preacher who preaches the truth of the word and a church family who holds each other accountable and ministers to each others' needs.

Second, and going right along with the first, is it a living, functional body?  Does the pastor truly preach the truth of the Word? Is he a true under-shepherd of the flock? Does the body truly function as a body, worshiping together, fellowshipping together, praying for one another, and ministering to one another's needs? More on those topics later, but this part's important!

Third, have I placed myself deeply within that body?  This is more than just sporadic attendance or even showing up for worship on Sunday morning.  This is digging deep, loving hard, and being transparent.

2. Am I myself functioning in all these ways, and so living as a well-rounded, healthy, contributing member of the Body of Christ? 

We need to be in a living, functioning (not perfect!!) local body, and we need to be assessing constantly if we are functioning in these 13 ways within that body.  It's easy for us to see where others may not be functioning in those ways toward us, but a bit harder sometimes to assess how we are (or aren't!) functioning in those ways toward others. (Very often, when we are living those things out toward others, we'll see more and more of others living them out toward us!)  I have a long way to go in many of those areas.

As Anne says, "You have to 'place yourself deeply' within a living, functioning local body to begin to give and take at deep levels."

Anne talks about making sure you are in a living, functional body to begin with, and then adds,

"On the other hand, don't be too proud or too shy or too preoccupied to receive life when it's there! Or perhaps it's truly there, but undisclosed.  Many church people are like that alabaster vase of perfume in Mark 14:3. They have the true  Gospel of Christ in their hearts; they're full of potential; but they're tight and closed up, not knowing how to love each other.  

We need to learn to love!" 

I'm actually only halfway through the first chapter, but that's a lot to ponder (and hopefully act on!) for one post.  We need to learn to love.  We need to learn to minister to others, and we need to learn to allow others to minister to us.  Both can be hard at times! We need to learn to be discipled, and to disciple others.  

More on all those topics in posts to come! In the meantime, what are your thoughts on today's post?  Are you in a living, functioning local body?  If not, do you need help finding one?  If so, have you "placed yourself deeply"?  Do you have "together" memories? Are you functioning in those 13 ways within the body? 

I'd love to hear about any or all of those things either in the comments below or on Facebook, or via the contact box in the sidebar.  

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

***
  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.    

Fitness Friday {On Saturday}...Lightbulb Moments!

Never, ever in a million billion years did I EVER think that I would be one of "those" people for whom working out at the gym was a stress reliever.

Never.

And then today I found myself explaining to a friend that I had been frazzled all day...until I got to the gym.

*Lightbulb moment*

I am one of those people!

*Gasp*

Working out at the gym is relaxing for me.

Who would have thought???

Certainly not me. Or pretty much anyone who's ever known me. *Giggle*

Don't get me wrong. It's not easy. It's hard work. But working out is not only making my body healthier, but improving my mental health as well.

As I mentioned last week, my plan is to work out at least 4 times a week. I got a good start this week; I made it to the gym Monday and Tuesday, despite our schedule being seriously out of whack. Then Wednesday and Thursday the calendar was just too full and there was no way to work it in. (I was working for my mom after her fall and Billy was on vacation this week, so we were really off schedule!) I was okay with that, however, because that left Friday and Saturday, so I'd still be good.

On Friday, however, Ammah Grace had a bad headache and didn't feel like going, so I ended up staying home with her.

By today, I was desperate!

The older kids had a birthday party to go to this afternoon. The gym closes early on Saturdays.  I had to take Bay shopping for a gift, but Billy said he would take the big kids to the party so I could take the little girls and go to the gym.

Wasn't that sweet?! Actually, unless you know Billy well, you probably don't realize just how sweet that is. Billy is not a party person. Group activities in general are not on his favorites list, particularly when they involve a lot of people he doesn't know/barely knows, as this did. He loves me. :) And I think he knew I was about.to.snap. ;-) 

We ended up getting there almost an hour later than I'd planned. We didn't have enough time to do what I really wanted to do today, but I was determined to make the most of it.

I did an abbreviated version of my planned routine in the weightroom, and then half an hour in the pool.  I realized halfway through the weights that although I was "feeling the burn", the tension of the past few days was gone.

Another lightbulb moment during the past couple of weeks is that some nagging pain issues I've been dealing with for years are much improved. Although it's possible that my last bad flare is just on hiatus, I am definitely seeing some correlation between regular visits to the gym and my pain level. After three days "off" this week, I told Billy I was going to have to get there today or I wasn't going to be able to walk by tomorrow!

I know that is answered prayer, because many times over the past 9 years when I've attempted various types of exercise, it's made my pain worse instead of better.  Something about the weight machines and the water exercise is just working for me this time. And I am thankful! The pain relief from working out is major motivation not to miss more than one day in a row!

I'm still doing some research on various fitness-related issues both for myself and to share with the kids as part of our health study this summer. I'll be sharing some of that research here over the next few weeks. I'll also be sharing some of my "plan" once I get it down in writing.

As I told a friend today, between my injury earlier this month, my mom's fall, Billy's vacation, and jumping into this rather suddenly at the first of the month without a plan ready, I've pretty much just been doing whatever I've had time for that didn't aggravate my ankle. But I need a plan! Desperately. :) So watch for that soon.


As I said last week, I'm excited about this journey, and also excited (if a bit nervous!) about sharing it with you. :)

Have you lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off?  I'd love to hear how you did it!  Do you have tips for gym newbies? I'd love to hear those, too.  Leave me a comment here or on Facebook, or message me through the contact box in the sidebar. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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. 

Do YOU Get It? Six Ways You Can Get It and Help Others to As Well

All too often scripture is distorted in order to justify the blind embracing of those who have sexually victimized children. Though the interim pastor proudly states, “We are firm believers in the Bible”, he provides no scriptural basis for his “belief” that past offenses of a sex offender should be forgotten. He provides none because there is none. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

Though the interim pastor proudly states, “We are firm believers in the Bible”, he provides no scriptural basis for his “belief” that past offenses of a sex offender should be forgotten. He provides none because there is none. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

Though the interim pastor proudly states, “We are firm believers in the Bible”, he provides no scriptural basis for his “belief” that past offenses of a sex offender should be forgotten. He provides none because there is none. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

Though the interim pastor proudly states, “We are firm believers in the Bible”, he provides no scriptural basis for his “belief” that past offenses of a sex offender should be forgotten. He provides none because there is none. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

Though the interim pastor proudly states, “We are firm believers in the Bible”, he provides no scriptural basis for his “belief” that past offenses of a sex offender should be forgotten. He provides none because there is none. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.LM1EL3ml.dpuf

. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.LM1EL3ml.dpuf

. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.LM1EL3ml.dpuf

"At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a 'changed person' in Jesus. Even if that were true, Christians must understand the fundamental difference between an offender’s changed position before God and the fact he/she is still the same person who committed an abhorrent offense against a child that comes with lifetime consequences."

~ Boz Tchividjian

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I know I've posted on this subject very recently, but Boz Tchividjian's article 4 Lessons We Can Learn From a Church That Hired a Sex Offender demanded to be shared today.

I've had conversations with two different people this week about this very thing. The "lessons" in the above article are SO important.  PLEASE, if you are involved with the church and/or children in any way, shape, or form, PLEASE click over and read this article even if you've never clicked on a link I've shared before and you never intend to again.  It's that important. 

But What About Forgiveness?

As I said recently on my blog, we must "[r]ealize that forgiveness and restoration do NOT equal 'everything going back to the way it was before'.  Even when a perpetrator expresses true repentance, that does NOT mean that contact with the victim or victims is in any way appropriate.  In rare instances it may be, but generally only after much time and healing have occurred.  Victims (particularly child victims) and their families should not be expected to have contact with the perpetrator, even (or especially) in the setting of the church." 

And I didn't add there, but I've said it elsewhere...NEVER, EVER, EVER should a person with a history of child sexual abuse (which would include those involved in child pornography) be put in a position to have access to children. EVER. Some sins have lifelong consequences, even when true repentance and forgiveness have occurred.

Another thing I didn't add in that article, but which I've also said elsewhere: If a perpetrator is really, truly, sincerely repentant, they won't ask or expect to be put in a position with access to children.  I firmly believe that God can change hearts and lives even of perpetrators.  I also firmly believe that part of that change in this type of perpetrator is a willingness to never again be put in a position where they could harm a child.  We are all capable of falling back into sins for which we've confessed and for which we've been forgiven.  In this particular situation, the risk is too great.  It is protection for both the past offender and the potential victims.

Moving in the Right Direction, but Still Not There

I am thankful to know pastors and church members who do "get it".  I am thankful for those God has put in our lives who get it.  Those who get it are definitely out there, and I am thankful that their numbers are growing.  But many, many in church leadership and the church as a whole still don't.

What Can We Do?

How can you help?

1.Be educated. "Get it" yourself.  I've posted several articles here on the blog with resources to get you started. Child Protection Resources and Understanding in the Unthinkable: A Call to Action for the Body of Christ both contain links to excellent resources.

2. Be involved. Know your church's policies and procedures in the area of child protection, and make sure they are being followed.  If there aren't appropriate policies and procedures in place, initiate conversation with your pastor and church leadership about instituting some.

3. Be aware. No one wants to think about child sexual abuse.  We would all rather put it out of sight and out of mind.  But we simply can't afford to do that. We must be aware that there is no way to identify a perpetrator by sight.  This article contains several links to articles about protecting children from abuse and identifying offenders.

Also be aware that while tools like background checks, security systems, etc. are helpful, they are just that--tools. They can provide a false sense of security that can lead to devastating consequences.  Background checks only identify perpetrators who have been caught and convicted. Investigations...particularly child pornography investigations...can take years.  And perpetrators often have many victims before being caught.  Don't allow the fact that security measures are in place keep you from appropriately supervising and protecting your child/children.

4. Be a voice. Share this post, and Boz Tchividjian's post linked above, via social media. 
Speak up when topics related to child protection arise. Make sure your children have age-appropriate information about safety issues, and particularly make sure they know that ANY time anyone tells them to keep a secret from mom and dad, they are to immediately come and tell you. (The exception to this in our home is a parent or siblings planning a surprise for  mom and/or dad.  Anything else is to be spilled asap.)

5. Be in prayer. Pray for your church leadership regularly and faithfully.  This is a given regardless, but so often they are dealing with issues in the church that we are completely and blissfully unaware of.  Pray for wisdom and courage and compassion for them as they deal with these situations.

Pray for families in the church who are dealing with this type of trauma.  You may think you don't know any families in this situation.  I will almost guarantee you that unless you are a total hermit, you probably do...you just aren't aware of it.  We don't have to know names or details to pray.  God knows who they are. 

6. Be ready to minister.

 "This is such a huge area of need in our churches...ministry to children and families touched by abuse.  There are many more families dealing with this than we sometimes realize, in many different ways: families in which one or more children have experienced abuse, adults who experienced abuse as children, families who are fostering or have adopted children who experienced abuse in their family of origin, and others."

 ~From Awareness to Understanding to Ministry

The articles Understanding in the Unthinkable and  From Awareness to Understanding to Ministry both contain information to help the church minister to families who have been devastated by abuse.


Do you get it?  Will you spread the word and help others get it as well?

Today was supposed to be Fitness Friday here at the blog, but I felt this post took precedence. Besides, our week has been crazy and I've not known what day it was all week, so it's only appropriate that the days should be topsy turvy on the blog as well!  I'm planning to post "Fitness Friday on Saturday" tomorrow, and hopefully next week I'll be able to keep my days straight here and IRL. :) 

***

Suggestions? Questions? Other thoughts? I'd love to hear any feedback you might have on this post either in the comments here or on Facebook, or via the comment box in the sidebar. 
 

***

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.  

All too often scripture is distorted in order to justify the blind embracing of those who have sexually victimized children. Though the interim pastor proudly states, “We are firm believers in the Bible”, he provides no scriptural basis for his “belief” that past offenses of a sex offender should be forgotten. He provides none because there is none. At the time this offender arrived at the church, many obviously believed his words that he was a “changed person” in Jesus. - See more at: http://boz.religionnews.com/2014/06/27/4-lessons-learn-church-just-doesnt-get/#sthash.AVsJlwxE.dpuf

Thankful Thursday!

I realized today that I haven't posted a Thankful Thursday post in a while, and it's definitely time!

Here are a few things I'm thankful for today:

*I am thankful for my husband, who has once again stepped in and picked up my slack during/after a rough week (and on his vacation, no less!), and for my kids, who also jump in and "pitch to the middle", as my mom would say. 

*I am thankful that although nothing has gone as planned during his vacation time, God knew months ago that this week was going to be challenging, and caused Billy to put in a request for some random vacation days.  When he told me he'd taken vacation for this week, I thought, "that's a weird time to take vacation!" (he usually takes vacation time in the spring or fall unless we have somewhere to go) and then wondered why he didn't discuss it with me ahead of time, as he always does.  God knew I would have talked him out of it, and we'd have been up a creek this week!

*I am ever so thankful that my mom wasn't injured any worse than she was in her fall on Saturday, and that she is healing and was able to go back to work today.

*I am thankful for our homeschool group and all the families in it who have blessed and continue to bless me in so many ways. 

*I'm thankful for a fun, educational field trip to CiCi's this morning. Love those times with old and new friends!

*I'm thankful for the answered prayer of Taekwondo for Bayley.  What a blessing that has been and continues to be!

*I'm thankful for friends. A Sonic run earlier this week with one, phone conversations that always bless me (even when we're just chatting about the mundane details of our days) with another, chats at TKD with another, and hilarious memories brought to mind tonight and shared with another.  And many more...God has blessed me beyond measure!

*I'm thankful for the two churches Billy and I have been part of during our marriage.  I said to someone today about our former church of 16 years, "It isn't perfect...no church is...but God led us there 18 years ago and I've never once regretted that."  After I said it, I realized that that is no small thing...there are many, many people who can't say that about churches they've been part of.  It was family, it's still family, and God grew us by leaps and bounds there! 

I also realized during the conversation today something I hadn't really put together in just that way until today.  18+ years ago when Billy and I were looking for a church in which to start our married life, I prayed for some very specific things that I really wasn't sure we'd ever find in a church in this area.  I didn't realize until today's conversation that God answered those very specific prayers 16+ years later when He moved us to Grace.  Wow.  What a God we serve...His ways are surely higher than ours!

*I'm thankful for a fun family putt-putt night tonight.  (And yes, I'm thankful that I beat all four of my children. Ahem. Even though Billy took the actual win, I'm still claiming a victory!)

*I'm thankful that in the midst of all life's craziness, God reassures us of His sovereignty, faithfulness, goodness, and love.  Seems like I hear stories every day lately of marriages in crisis, children hurt by evil people, Christians being persecuted for their faith, and more.  But as Steve Lawson posted on Facebook yesterday, "The sovereignty of God is one of the greatest comforts our soul can ever have."  It is. God used Steve Lawson to help teach me that during the hardest time of my life 8 years ago.  What a gift God has given, to allow us tiny glimpses of His glory and grace! 

What are you thankful for today?  Share with me in the comments (here or on Facebook), please! I'd love to hear!

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If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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.    

Blogathon Wrap-Up 2014

 

Last year just days before it began, I heard from my blogging friend Kate about the 2013 WordCount Blogathon.  I needed some blogging accountability, so I jumped at the chance.  It was a great experience in all kinds of ways, and I had planned a wrap up post the first week of July.  July got crazy fast, though, and I didn't ever get that wrap up post written.  Now, of course, I remember almost none of what I'd planned to include in that post.

I did, however, remember that it was a great experience, and I was excited about doing it again this year.  I think I've actually published less posts in the last year than in any year I've been blogging.  I really needed the challenge of posting daily.

When I began searching for info on this year's Blogathon, however, I discovered there wasn't going to be one.  I was seriously disappointed, although I completely understood that Michelle Rafter was maxed out with business and personal responsibilities and didn't have the time to host.  It's a huge time investment to run such a production, and Michelle does a fabulous job.

As I pondered the lack of the June blogging challenge, I decided I'd just do my own.  It wouldn't be in any way the same, but perhaps it would still give me the jumpstart I needed. Somewhere around May 31, I decided I'd do it.  However, I wouldn't start it until June 2 (we had a big event June 1 that I wanted to get behind me first), and I'd extend it through July 2.  I would open it up to other bloggers if any wanted to participate, although I knew I didn't have nearly the traffic or resources to garner a great deal of participation.

I went to Michelle's blog later that day and discovered that there had been a change of plans, and Blogathon 2014 would in fact happen, although in a somewhat different form than last year.  I was so excited!  But...that meant starting on June 1.  I was nowhere near ready!

This year's Blogathon has been a much different experience than last year's for me.  It's odd, because on paper, we were busier last June than this June, at least looking  at things from the beginning of the month.  This year, though, I've just felt like a dog chasing its tail all month long.  I kept thinking, "As soon as _____________________ is over, I'll be able to sit down and make a plan and  get some posts prepped ahead so I'm not scrambling every night.   But...it's now June 25 and I'm still trying!

I didn't post a Tech Tuesday post yesterday, due to wanting to get my 2014 summer reading list up, so I decided today's kinda-sorta techy post would be a rather early Blogathon wrap up. 

Here are my thoughts from this year so far:

1. Having external accountability really helps me.  REALLY helps me.  It's purely mental...absolutely NOTHING is going to happen to me if I miss a day posting during Blogathon, but for some reason, I'm just determined to push through and post something every day just so I can say "I did it!"  My competetive nature, perhaps?  Maybe.  I'm not sure.  But the challenge helps.

2.  I don't like posting just for the sake of posting.  I already knew this, actually. but it's been SO evident to me during this month.  If I'm going to post, I want it to be worthwhile.  I really, really don't feel good about the posts I've published solely so that I can say I've posted that day.  This is why blogging prompts aren't especially helpful for me.   Unless a prompt really hits a chord with something that is important to me, I'd just rather skip it. 

3.  The ideal for me would be to post 5 days a week, with at least 3 of those posts scheduled (finished and set to auto-post) ahead of time.  I need to find some sort of ongoing accountability with a bit of flexibility included.

4. There's just a part of my right-brained, creative side that has a really hard time with keeping up with a pre-planned blog schedule.  I've said before that I am about blogging the way I am about scrapbooking...in scrapbooking, I have to be "in the mood" to scrap a certain page.  I work much better if I work in conjunction with inspiration striking.  I struggle with weekly series for that reason.  For instance, yesterday should have been Tech Tuesday, but (1) with Mother needing help this week after her fall, I just haven't had time to do what needs to be done for any of my planned Tech Tuesday posts, and (2) I really, really wanted to get my book list posted without any further ado. 

5.  My brain fog issues of recent years just compound #4.  There are just certain posts that need more clarity than I have on certain days.  I've really seen that during this year's Blogathon.  I've had a bunch of partially finished posts hanging out in drafts or in Evernote since last fall.  They should have been easy to finish and post during this last month.  However, I've passed over them more than once this month.  Some require deeper thought than I've been capable of this month.  Others require some outside research I just haven't had time for.  Still others are waiting for photos I haven't had the opportunity to take yet.  So there they sit. 

6. One of the things I learned from last year's Blogathon was that I need to actively work on overcoming numbers 4 and 5.  While there is nothing wrong with working with the flow of creative inspiration, nor is there anything wrong with having the flexibility to switch things up on occasion, part of being a writer of any kind is being able to complete assignments and meet deadlines.  There have been nights this month (and during last year's Blogathon as well) when I've thought I simply couldn't type a word when I've pushed through due to the challenge, and I've actually been happy with the results.  I need to work on a good balance here. 

So there you have it...what I've learned (so far!) from Blogathon 2014. (And with the close of this post, we're down to five days and counting...yay!!!)

Thanks again to Michelle Rafter and Freelance Success for hosting this year's Blogathon! 

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Have you ever participated in a 30-day (or other type) challenge?  What kind?  What did you learn?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments here or on Facebook!

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If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.    

Summer Reading List 2014

Our youngest daughter has discovered Anne of Green Gables.  She spent much of yesterday walking around the house with her nose buried in it. (I tried to get a picture, but all I managed were blurry shots of her running away. :))  I cautioned her about being careful to watch where she was going, but I couldn't say much, as I spent a great deal of my childhood and youth doing the same thing. :) 

I've always loved to read, and from a young age I read everything I could get my hands on.  I've always read a wide variety of books, fiction and non-fiction.  I'm even one of those odd people who actually sit and just read cookbooks.  (I inherited that from my Aunt Emma Jo! :))

This last year, though, my reading has been severely limited.  I usually have several non-fiction books going at a time, plus a fiction book that I read for a bit at bedtime.  We've spent a great deal of the last year dealing with sleep issues in various members of the family, and I've experienced some of the worst sleep deprivation I've ever had....which is saying a lot. :)

Because of that, my non-fiction reading has pretty much gone out the window this year, both because I've spent much of my morning reading time trying to catch up on lost sleep, and because when I have been awake I've been too brain-fogged for heavy reading.  The most I've been able to manage has been online articles/blog posts and my nighttime light fiction.

After reading this article by Crystal Paine, I decided to jump-start my non-fiction reading again by setting a reading list goal for the summer.  I'd originally intended to finalize and post this list weeks ago, at the "not-technically summer-yet-even-though-school-is-out-start-of-summer".  That obviously didn't happen, and last week I began to panic that "summer" was almost half over and I hadn't posted my summer reading list! 

Then I realized that summer didn't actually begin until Saturday, so I was good.  I'd post my list on the first official day of summer, and extend my timeframe until the first day of fall, September 23.  Since we don't follow the "school year" calendar for our school anyway, there was no need for me to use that timeframe for my "summer reading" either. :)

Then I ended up in the ER with my mom Saturday, and all my plans for the weekend pretty literally went splat on the pavement.

So...here's the list, albeit still a bit late:

Educating the Wholehearted Child, by Clay and Sally Clarkson ~ This is one of my all-time favorite homeschooling books, one of those I re-read periodically.  A friend some quotes from it on Facebook back in the spring, and my thought was, "I need to re-read that this summer!"  That was another part of the impetus for this list. :)

Real Learning in the Heart of My Home, by Elizabeth Foss ~ This is another one of those read-it-again-and-again homeschooling books.  It's time for another read!

Forgotten God, by Francis Chan ~ One of those I scored free for Kindle and keep wanting to read but just not getting to.  Since last June, God has been putting teaching about the Holy Spirit in front of me again and again.  I'm excited to read Chan's take on the Person of the Trinity we so often ignore.

Give Them Grace, by Elyse Fitzpatrick ~ This is one of those books I've read parts of here and there over the years, but I really feel the need to give it a complete read-through this summer.  God still has so much to teach me in this area! 

Called to Write, by K.M.Logan and C.M. Logan ~ K.M. and I are in a blogging group together.  I was so excited about reading this e-book last year, and then my unplanned non-fiction reading hiatus set in.  I'm really looking forward to reading it soon.

Evernote User Guide, by Edward Johnson ~ I know, I know, captivating reading, lol!  In all seriousness, though, I really want to learn to get the most out of Evernote.  I'm typing in it right now, as a matter of fact!  This is one of those "need to read" choices, as I'm planning to set up Evernote accounts for the kids this summer to use for schoolwork and other things. 

Is Sunday School Destroying Our Kids?, by Samuel Williamson ~ From super-boring title to attention grabber!  I've read an excerpt and review or two of this book, and I'm really anxious to read more.  Not that Sunday School itself is evil, but often the way we go about it is just counter-productive.

GTD for Homemakers, by Winkler ~ I did a quick read-through of this last winter, and really intended to put quite a bit of it into practice.  And then life went a bit cuckoo and I never got back to it.  I'm ready to get my system working this summer!

Memoir of Ann Judson ~ Can't believe this is the only biography that made it onto the list!  It was a Kindle freebie I've been wanting to read for a while 

Victim of Grace, by Robin Jones Gunn ~ This is the only book on the list that I don't already own, either in traditional or ebook form.  That makes it a bit iffy, as it will depend on the book budget. :)  But I have really been wanting to read this non-fiction offering by a fiction author whose work I always enjoy. 

Home Discipleship, by Kimberly Williams ~ I was supposed to review this book quite some time ago, and it just didn't happen.  The subject excites me, though, so I'm hoping to read and review it soon.

Wrestling Prayer, by Eric and Leslie Ludy ~ As I mentioned in yesterday's "Prayer Ponderings" post, God has been bombarding (and convicting!) me about  the  topic of prayer.  I started this book a couple of years ago, and it's time to finish it!

E.M. Bounds Complete Works on Prayer ~ Another book I've had for a long time, and read bits and pieces here and there.  It's a thick one, so I may not finish the whole thing this summer, but I'd like to cover a big chunk of it.

Radical Well-Being, by Rita Hancock ~  This is another book I am way behind on reviewing.  I think I'm in a much better place to read it right now, though, as we are working hard to build healthy habits.

Southern Vegetarian, by Justin Fox Burks ~ I won a copy of this cookbook last year and really haven't had a chance to do much with it.  I decided summer was a great time to read through it and hopefully try some recipes. :)  (And no, I'm not a vegetarian, nor do I have any plans to be, but this cookbook has some great-looking recipes, and with the price of meat these days, I'm excited about adding some meatless meals to our repertoire. :))

So there you have it.  15 books in 13 weeks.  What are you reading this summer?  Let me know in the comments here or on Facebook!

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If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.