#9-10: Still Thankful in the Storms of Life
Posted by: hopechestnews <hopechestnews@...>
The Hope Chest Home School News
with Virginia Knowles
November 17, 2006
#9-10: Still Thankful in the Storms of Life
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Welcome to the Hope Chest!
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The Hope Chest Home School News is a free e-mail magazine sent to over 1250 families around the world. The publisher is Virginia Knowles, wife to Thad and mother of 10 children (7 daughters and 3 sons, ages 1 to 19). Virginia is the author of The Real Life Home School Mom and Common Sense Excellence: Faith-Filled Home Education for Preschool to 5th Grade. Check out her web site at http://www.thehopechest.net, read archives at https://welovegod.org/groups/hopechest or at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/VirginiaKnowles, or e-mail her at [email protected].
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Dear friends,
I am often amazed at how the various articles in each issue of the Hope Chest weave together naturally – at least in my own mind! I hope that you are able to make the connections, too! In this November issue, you will catch snatches of thanksgiving, marriage, and the storms and valleys of life. Several times in this particular issue, I also weave in another common thread. Sovereign Grace Ministries (http://www.SovereignGraceMinistries.org) is a network of 68 churches headed by C.J. Mahaney. For the past four years, our family has been blessed by the warm fellowship and solid teaching at Metro Life Church (http://www.MetroLifeChurch.org) here near Orlando. I can't tell you how much this has been a "means of grace" in shaping our family, and I hope this affection shows! For this I am thankful!
I trust that these articles, and the heart behind them, will be a blessing to you. Please let me know what you think, and feel free to forward it to others, even if they are not home schooling.
Blessings,
Virginia Knowles
P.S. If you feel like you've come to the end of yourself, I've found that it's not such a bad place to be – that's where I can only move forward in God's strength and sufficiency instead of my own!
In this issue, you will find:
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"Sharon Cameron: Still Serving After the Storm"
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"Preparing Our Children for the Storms of Life" by Virginia Knowles
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"Thankful for Marriage in the Storms of Life" by Virginia Knowles (with a few book recommendations)
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"God Reigns in the Storm" – a song by Steve and Vikki Cook on their new Before the Throne CD – and an interview!
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"In the Valley" -- a song by Bob Kauflin on the Valley of Vision CD
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A Life that Says Welcome, book by Karen Ehman, review by Virginia Knowles
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Our Readers Write
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A Final Note of Gratitude from Virginia
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Sharon Cameron: Still Serving After the Storm
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Many long-time Hope Chest readers will remember stories about my heart-of-gold friend Sharon Cameron. She lives in Vancleave, Mississippi, which was wiped out by Hurricane Katrina and is still in very poor shape. Sharon, a busy home school mama of six, whose own home was badly damaged and needs to be replaced, has sacrificially devoted herself to helping her neighbors get by, while ministering to their broken spirits, too. She is putting together Christmas boxes again this year. If you would like to contribute new gift items, gift cards from Wal-Mart or Lowes, you can send them along to:
Sharon Cameron
2309 Lloyds Lane
Vancleave, MS 39565-8222
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Preparing Our Children for the Storms of Life
by Virginia Knowles
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The storms of life will come and go, but will your child be prepared or be blown away? In some ways, home schooling shelters children from many storms of life – appropriately so! In other ways, it can prepare them to be even more effective in dealing with challenging and disappointing situations. This process takes effort on the parents' part as they try to discern the balance of sheltering and preparing. There are many ways any parent can help prepare a child for weathering the storms of life.
Cultivate a sense that God is in control, no matter what happens. Show how faith, hope, and love can conquer depression, fear, and anger. We don't always understand what is happening, but we can trust a sovereign God. In showing God's providence and our need for perseverance, you can use Bible stories (such as Joseph, Ruth, or David), Bible verses (such as Psalm 43:5, James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5, Romans 8:26-39, 1 Peter 1:6-9, and Habakkuk 3:17-19), hymns and worship songs, and prayer. Many children are disillusioned when they pray and God doesn't answer like they want him to. Explain that sometimes he answers yes, sometimes no, and sometimes wait. Share stories from your own life when you asked God for something that would not have been good for you, and how you are glad you didn't get your own way. You can also model a wholesome response to trials in your own life. Your children are always watching you!
Equip your child with both skills and responsibility ahead of time. Don't coddle your children – challenge them! If you make life too easy for them, they will never be strong enough to face the outside world. Stretch them appropriately in their academics and household chores, and don't let them give up on an assignment just because they think it is too hard. Press on! Children who have learned to value responsibility and duty over comfort and convenience will have more inner strength to face challenges in life. There are also specific skills you can teach that will help your child prevent or solve problems. Be sure to cover time management, money management, organization skills, household repair, etiquette, and communication, etc. With younger children, play "What If?" games, asking what they could do if they got lost at the mall, or another child dared them to do something wrong. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Teach Biblical peacemaking concepts. Walk them through how to resolve interpersonal conflicts, which are usually either the cause or result of so many of life's storms. Peacemaker Ministries (http://www.peacemaker.net) has many wonderful resources.
Let your child "own" his trials. You can comfort them and brainstorm with them, but don't be quick to offer easy answers. Make it a dialogue, where you are merely coaching them through solving their own problems. Give plenty of time – don't rush through this process! Follow up later on to see how well they are coping with the aftermath, and if there is any bitterness or confusion. Teach your children to think ahead of time about the consequences of their choices. "If I do this, then that could happen." Let them suffer the natural consequences of their own poor behavior, since they will learn from that more than from a lecture. Do not let them whine, sulk, or manipulate others. Hold them responsible for their share of conflicts, rather than simply blaming the other party to salvage a child's feelings. If you see your child reacting to a frustration with bitterness, accusation or impatience, stop them and role play a calm, wholesome response. I no longer allow my children to yell, "THIS IS STUPID!" Instead, they may say, "I don't understand this." And finally, encourage your child to look for a life lesson that God is trying to teach them through this lesson. If they caused their own problem, they could learn to repent and prevent situations from happening like this again. In a situation that was not the child's fault, they can learn patience to endure, faith in God's care, and compassion for others who are suffering. Be sure to point out "evidences of grace" that you see in your child's life because of this trial that has helped them to mature.
In your home schooling time, be aware of teachable moments. Read plenty of heart-reaching books where the people face difficult circumstances. Talk about what they did that was appropriate, and what they did that wasn't. Biographies, well-written fiction, and even history text books can be so vital! The time periods of the early church persecutions, the Reformation, the American Revolution, slavery, Civil War, Holocaust, Civil Rights era, and others provide many examples you can use in teaching how to deal with adversity. We also like the animated history videos produced by NEST (http://www.nestfamily.com), since they show the struggles that famous people have faced. While studying science, point out instances in the natural world where "adversity" is necessary to produce the best results, such as precious metals being refined, gemstones being hacked out of the ground and chiseled into shape, muscles being exercised, tree roots growing deep for nourishment and anchoring, etc. Math can be a major source of frustration. However, it can model more general problem solving principles, such as staying calm in the knowledge that the problem is here to teach you something valuable, following any instructions, breaking it down into smaller parts, thinking through the different options, working carefully with keen attention to detail, asking for help when necessary, and checking to make sure the solution is reasonable. See how even the academic aspects of home schooling can prepare your child for facing the storms of life? What a blessing!
I hope that these ideas are as helpful to you as they have been to me over the years. Of course, we're still working on them, but with 10 children in the house, there are plenty of opportunities to practice!
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Note: The above article is a very brief version of one that I wrote for the January/February 2007 issue of Making It Home Magazine. If you would like to read the whole thing when it comes out, you can find subscription information at http://www.MakingItHomeMagazine.com.
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Thankful for Marriage in the Storms of Life
by Virginia Knowles
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This Thanksgiving Day, November 23, is a day for extra special gratitude in our family. Thad and I will celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary! Tears well up in my eyes as I reflect on how thankful I am that my dear husband has been committed to stay by my side and serve our growing family in so many ways all these years.
I know that for many of you who are struggling in family life, the thought of reading an article on marriage right now might be uncomfortable. If so, I commend you for reading this far. Maybe the title, "Thankful for Marriage in the Storms of Life," reassured you that this is not the three easy steps to romantic bliss or some such thing. Thad and I have learned about marriage the hard way, by living it day after day for over two decades. Not all of those days have been pleasant. We have been through many storms and dark valleys of marriage together. Each year has brought new insights, some of them with a high price tag of hard knocks experience. As in any marriage, there is an ebb and flow of feelings and emotions. That is normal, I suppose. Underlying those fickle little things, however, is a deep commitment to one another, for better or worse. That commitment has been put to the test over and over again, and I'm sure that if it was based on anything else than our common foundation of commitment to honoring the Lord Jesus, it wouldn't have fared so well. In his mercy and kindness, the Lord revealed to me this year how I need to keep pursuing the fresh passion for my husband that we had in our courtship and early marriage. You can imagine that the busyness of home schooling in a house filled with 10 active and not-always-compliant children could be a distraction to that, but it really is no excuse. By God's grace, Thad and I are now busy rekindling the friendship and heart-level fellowship which we treasured when we said "I do!" nearly 21 years ago.
If you are going through a difficult season in your marriage, I pray that you will take heart. God is in the business of working in the tough places, of restoring and renewing marriages so that they will glorify him. In 1985, I wrote a song for our wedding, and the chorus went like this:
Show us your purposes for our union, that we may glorify the Lord Most High!
Show us your purposes for our union, that we may glorify you, Lord.
As the Lord has shown us his purposes over these past two decades, we have learned that our marriage really is to be for his glory, and not so much our own desires. I don't think any author has expressed this so poignantly to me than Gary Thomas in his book Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy? The pastors of our church asked the home group fellowships to discuss this book on couples' night once a month. I confess that it took me a chapter or so to warm up to it, but out of a sense of duty, I kept reading. And as I read, I wept -- and repented. I needed to grow up. I needed to be thankful that the trials of my marriage were stretching me. Gary Thomas can say it much better than I can, so here's a short excerpt:
The key to the discipline of fellowship is understanding this fundamental reality: All of us face struggles, and each one of us is currently facing a struggle that we're having less than one hundred percent success overcoming. If we're married, the fact is we're also married to someone who is failing in some way. We can respond to this "bitter juice" by becoming bitter people, or we can use it as a spiritual discipline and transform its exercise into the honey of a holy life. In this fallen world, struggles, sin, and unfaithfulness are a given. The only question is whether our response to these struggles, sin, and unfaithfulness will draw us closer to God – or whether it will estrange us from ourselves, our Creator, and each other. Will we fall forward, or will we fall away?
I wish I could include the whole book here. It really is that good. You will find chapters on how marriage teaches us to love, respect, pray, serve, grow spiritually, embrace difficulty, and treasure holiness far more than happiness. There are also questions for discussion and application at the end of the book, and I think there is a related devotional book. You can find out more about Sacred Marriage and Gary's other thoughtfully written books at: http://www.garythomas.com/ It is also available in most major Christian bookstores. You can also read the table of contents and an excerpt at CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=42827&netp_id=271679&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW
Gary Thomas often quotes C.J. and Carolyn Mahaney of Sovereign Grace Ministries. In her own book Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother, Carolyn encourages wives who are struggling in their marriages: "If you are in an exceptionally trying situation with your husband, I encourage you to pour out your heart to the Lord of love. He knows, He sees, and He hears; and though your tears may be lost on your husband, they are not lost on your heavenly Father. He is the compassionate Lord who urges us to draw near to Him so "that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Although you may not understand, you can be sure that your marriage has God's loving inscription upon it. God's unerring wisdom has ordained your relationship with your husband – for your good and for Christ's glory. Look to God for strength to endure, for the Lord promises that He will husband you (Isaiah 54:5-6). God will renew your strength so that you will not grow weary in cultivating a tender love for your husband. Furthermore, you do not know that the Lord has planned for your future. Your tender love for your husband could be the means God uses to soften his heart toward you and toward Himself. I have seen this happen in many marriages." http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=B3030-00-11
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=46158&netp_id=348413&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW
Love That Lasts: When Marriage Meets Grace by Gary and Betsy Ricucci is another book we read this year, this time in preparation for our church's marriage retreat. Gary Ricucci is a pastor at Covenant Life Church, a Sovereign Grace Ministries congregation in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I noticed that Gary Thomas, in Sacred Marriage, also refers to the Ricucci's book often, with good reason: lots of common sense centered on the grace and glory of God which is designed to be reflected in our marriages. You can read the table of contents and excerpt for Love That Lasts at CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=47825&netp_id=438118&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW#curr
or order it from Sovereign Grace: http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=B3145-00-11
Thad and I sure enjoyed going to that marriage retreat last month. I most remember Pastor Benny Phillips encouraging us to look for "evidences of God's grace" in our spouses. He chuckled as he recalled senior pastor Danny Jones's advice to rejoice when we see them even "shuffling in the right direction" -- and took it one further by saying we should be glad if we even see them "leaning in the right direction"! Let's be thankful for even small signs of progress! I actually was shuffling and leaning (on Thad) that weekend, since I had smashed my toe while buying a bottle of sparkling grape juice for a romantic hotel room dinner I had planned. We didn't get our long walk on the beach, but we settled for carrying our gourmet picnic right down next to the waves, complete with wedding china and crystal goblets, and then going for a nice long float at the beach. Hey, it worked! It reminds me of the time in our early courtship when we took a basket of apples and cheese to Leu Gardens, and enjoyed a leisurely picnic by the lake. Or our very first date to St. Luke's Cathedral downtown for a lunch time concert and a soup-and-sandwich "Bach's Lunch" in the parish hall. Or even our very impromptu along-the-way picnic in the park (with sandwiches from HoneyBaked Ham) just this past week! Nice little ways to build a great lifetime friendship, wouldn't you say?
Yes, my dear Thad, I would marry you all over again! Happy 21st anniversary, darling!
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"God Reigns in the Storm" and Interview with Vikki Cook
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Thad gave me the Before theThrone CD for my birthday in September, and it immediately became a favorite in our whole family, for good reason. The music is uplifting, and the lyrics are rich with inspiration. Steve and Vikki Cook spent many fruitful years in Maryland producing music for PDI, which became Sovereign Grace Music. Since their music has been produced by Integrity Music, Word, and Sovereign Grace, most of you have sung at least one of their many worship songs at church. "I Will Glory in My Redeemer" is one that comes quickly to mind. Last year, the Cooks relocated to the Orlando, Florida, where they now attend Metro Life Church. It has been a joy to become acquainted with them, and get to hear them make music at church!
I've also been blessed to hear Vikki share with us Metro Life ladies about developing a heart of worship in devotional times. She reminded us from Zephaniah 3:17 that God rejoices over us with singing, and commented that reading old hymnals and theology books for worship inspiration is "like picking jewels out of the sky every morning"! Her music is full of gems, to be sure!
One song on Before the Throne has particularly ministered to me, as I am freshly aware of God's sovereign mercy in the midst of my own storms of life. My children have heard me sing it so many times around the house that they can sing it, too!
"God Reigns in the Storm"
by Steve and Vikki Cook
from Before the Throne CD
There's a tempest that can flood the soul
When troubles pound like crashing waves
In these afflictions I have realized
There's a place that I can hide
I know that God has promised me his strength
And His Word can never fail
He is faithful, O so faithful
There are Sovereign Hands
Holding all my days
Yes, I know God reigns in the storms
Every trial and pain
Wisdom has ordained
Yes, I know God reigns in the storm
There's a midnight that can fill the soul
When the darkness knows no end
And though it feels like I am all alone
There's a truth that gives me hope
I know the One who counted all my tears
And He is nearer than my breath
He is with me, always with me
There are Sovereign Hands
Holding all my days
Yes, I know God reigns in the storms
Every trial and pain
Wisdom has ordained
Yes, I know God reigns in the storm
There's so many things that I don't understand
But I know His every plan for me is good.
So good.
I would highly recommend Before the Throne as a Christmas present for anyone who appreciates heartfelt praise and worship music. Find out more (including samples and lyrics) at: http://www.beforethethronemusic.com/
Steve also produced the Worship God Live CD, which was released last year by Sovereign Grace (http://www.sovereigngraceministries.com/music/projects/worshiplive/) I especially enjoy the Cooks' rollicking song, "Count It All Joy." My other favorite on this CD is Bob Kauflin's remake of William Cowper's hymn "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" which includes these lines: "O fearful saints new courage take / The clouds that you now dread / Are big with mercy and will break / In blessings on your head." You can read about William Cowper (who often suffered the storms of depression) and the original hymn here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/m/gmovesmw.htm or click on the above CD link to hear a sample of the updated version.
And now, as a special treat, an interview with Vikki Cook:
First of all, please tell us about your family.
Stephen and I have been married for 26 grace-filled years. How fast it has flown! Everyone tells you the years go by quickly, but I never imagined just how fast! We have two daughters. Stephanie, our oldest, is finishing up her 2nd year of college as an Anthropology major. Suzanna is in her Senior year of high school. This is my last year to homeschool... I'm still feeling a little sad about this, but I'm grateful for all of the time I've had with my girls at home. What a privilege it has been!
How did you both get into the music business? Where has that taken you in life?
Stephen and I were always involved musically as kids in school. I was in choirs and choruses, and Steve was in choir and band. (he played the trumpet) I met Stephen in college, Oral Roberts University, where he had just switched his major from the Trumpet, to Communications. I was a Vocal Performance major. We both started writing songs in college before we knew each other. When we got married, we kept writing, but together. We served on the worship team at church. For several years we had a band in the Northern California area where we did outreach concerts. When we became members of what is now Chesapeake Community Church, (our Sovereign Grace church in Joppa, MD) we be came acquainted with the worship songs of Mark Altrogge and loved what we heard. God had been pulling on our hearts that a change of direction was going to be happening for us. We believed that God wanted us to start writing worship songs for the church. In 1986, Stephen and I relocated to Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD, where we continued to write and serve the church with music. Stephen was working for People of Destiny, which became "PDI" and later Sovereign Grace Ministries. He worked for the ministry or Covenant Life Church for almost 20 years, until we came to serve with Metro Life Church and our Florida Sovereign Grace churches last year.
What keeps each of you busy now?
Stephen and I have started a music publishing business since coming to Florida. We are seeking to compliment what Sovereign Grace Music is doing in serving churches with God-glorifying, Christ-centered music. Our business is called UG Music Group. (Underground Grace...) The business has two arms, one for congregational worship songs called, "Before the Throne Music," and "UGG Records", which is representing the younger bands coming up in our churches. "UGG Records" just released a project by the band in our Pasadena, CA, church called "West Coast Revival." Steve and I also recently released our "Before the Throne" project on our "Before the Throne Music" label. Both are available online at either http://www.beforethethronemusic.com or http://www.uggrecords.com Besides running the business, Stephen and I are busy serving church worship teams, training and developing skills helpful for serving in their local church. We are currently staff songwriters for "Integrity Music" and besides writing songs, we also help out teaching at their annual songwriter's retreat. I am a vocal teacher as well. I love teaching God's children how to sing! Anyone interested can contact me at [email protected]
Tell us the reason you wrote "God Reigns In The Storm" and how you collaborated with the author, Elyse Fitzpatrick, and her book A Steadfast Heart.
It was actually Elyse's idea. She is a good friend and is part of our San Diego, CA, Sovereign Grace Church. She thought it would be a great idea to have a song on a CD in the back of her book that encapsulated what the book was saying. Elyse was describing her book to us, based on Psalm 57, as a book about learning to hold onto God in the midst of suffering. She said, "You know...God...in the storm." I was immediately impressed with the idea. I started running with the idea of "God Reigns in the Storm" and shared with Stephen all of my thoughts. We worked on the song for about two months, and when we presented it to Elyse, she loved it! When I'm having a difficult day, I pull out this song and just start "preaching the truth" to myself...and my heart melts, and I am reminded again that "all things work for the good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." We do not walk alone in this life...thank the Lord!!!
Virginia's note: You can find Elyse's book at:
Vikki, what encouragement do you have for the other home school moms who may be struggling in the "storms of life"?
There's just no two ways about it, home schooling is hard! You are not just dealing with trying to teach those children who are depending on you, you are dealing with their sin against you, and against each other...as well as a hefty dose of your own sinful heart, all mixed together! No wonder it's so hard! But let me say, as a mom who is near the end of her home schooling years...I would do it again "in a heart beat!" I can't say that I was the "perfect" home schooling mom. I made many mistakes. I gave into my sinful heart way too many times. I got impatient with my girls when they "just didn't get it", even after I spent hours teaching on the required subject. I felt like giving up sometimes. Thank God that I didn't, because I would have missed so much fruit in my life and my girls' lives! When you are in the midst of endless teaching, grading, correcting (papers...and attitudes!), planning, dealing with sin, etc., it is so hard to see the day when you envision yourself saying, "Ah yes, it's been worth it all!" ...but it is. There is a harvest of righteousness, peace, and joy that will be evident in our children's lives as a result of all of those hours devoted to home schooling and character training. I can see it in my girls' lives. It makes me so grateful for the grace of God in our lives that allowed me to keep our girls at home. Yep, home schooling was hard! But it was absolutely worth it!!!!
"Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life on the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the Architect who calls himself Alpha and Omega." -Kilby
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Valley of Vision CD &
"In the Valley" Song by Bob Kauflin
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The other CD I got for my birthday, this time from my daughters Rachel and Joanna, is Valley of Vision, a new release from Sovereign Grace Music. This one vied with Before the Throne for "airtime" in our home for weeks, and it's still one of the most frequently played. What's the foundation for this CD? Puritan prayers! Honestly! You might remember that I recommended the book Valley of Vision back in the July issue on "Pilgrimage and Jubilee." Well, I know the Puritans have taken a bad rap for being sober and dull, but that's a stereotype. They were serious about their faith, but they were quite a lively folk, too. Don't expect dreary music here on this 2006 CD anyway. Most of it is very contemporary, though there are a few mellower pieces on it, too. You can read lyrics and hear samples right here: http://www.sovereigngraceministries.com/music/projects/valleyofvision/
The first song (yes, it's a quiet one) reaches into my heart every time I hear it, especially as I ponder about the darker valleys the Lord has brought me through on my own pilgrimage of faith this year.
Sovereign Grace very graciously and quickly granted me a one-time permission to use this song in the Hope Chest.
"In the Valley"
Based on The Valley of Vision prayer, "The Valley of Vision"
Words and Music by Bob Kauflin
Copyright 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)
When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn't be my decision
It's here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley's where You make me more like Christ
Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You're near with every breath
In the valley
In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley's where your power is revealed
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With Christmas coming up so rapidly, I also want to mention that Sovereign Grace just released Christmas CD called Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man. http://www.sovereigngraceministries.com/music/projects/savior/ We've had this CD on a lot since I bought it this past weekend, and we're all enjoying it. Metro Life's own worship pastor and home school dad, Todd Twining, wrote one of the songs, and another of our worship leaders and home school dads, Kyle Davis, was lead singer on many of the songs on both this album and on Valley of Vision. Take a look! http://www.sovereigngraceministries.com/music/projects/savior/lyrics/rejoice.doc
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A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others
Book by Karen Ehman, Review by Virginia Knowles
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Back in the February issue, "The Heart of Home Schooling," I briefly mentioned Karen Ehman and her books Homespun Gifts from the Heart and Homespun Memories from the Heart. Imagine my delight, when a few weeks ago, I received a review copy from Baker Books of her newest title, A Life That Says Welcome, a beautiful and practical book about Christian hospitality. Karen is a home school mama of three with a heart for reaching out to others in real life ways. There are chapters on preparing your hearts and home for hospitality, making the best of the resources you have, taking hospitality on the road, and cooking up plenty of yummy recipes. I especially appreciate her encouragement to practice hospitality at home with our own husbands and children. Near the end of the "Family First" chapter, she says:
When it comes to mealtime, try to make the atmosphere at the table pleasant. Serving a family meal on a table that is full of junk mail and clutter or plastered with peanut butter and jam residue from days ago is not a way to say "Welcome!" to your family. Make the table a simple but pretty place. Clear it off, wipe it down, and take a little care in your table setting. I'm not talking fine china here – although once in a while pulling out all the stops for no one else but your family is a sure way to make a memory! Besides the necessary plates, cups, and cutlery, light a candle. When I first started doing this for my family, of course they wanted to know who was coming for supper. Now we often light a candle for no reason at all. It is a simple way to turn an ordinary meal into something a bit more special. (And it has a way of helping kids behave at the table.)
A Life That Says Welcome is full of inspiration and hands-on tips. Speaking of candles, here is an idea we can use for our Thanksgiving tables:
Using an apple corer, cut a hole 1 ½ inches deep into several shapes and colors of apples. Work a candle into each hole. Display on your kitchen table on a runner made of fall-colored plaid fabric. Mini-pumpkins and gourds also can be hollowed out to make candleholders or small vases.
If you e-mail Karen at [email protected] she will send you ordering instructions for her books. Tell her you heard about them in the Hope Chest! You can also order A Life That Says Welcome from Christian Book Distributors, as well as read the table of contents and excerpt at: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=731390&netp_id=437418&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW
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Our Readers Write from Around the World
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Heather Hobson in New Zealand sent in this link for her web site, Treasured Words Scripture Memorization Club. Even if you don't join the club (which is available to anyone, no matter where they live), she has some great Bible memory tips on her site! http://www.treasuredwords.org.nz
Dana, a long time Hope Chest reader in Tennessee, writes: "Several years ago, we attended a weekly fellowship group for families. One night near the end of the year, we "decorated" a small Christmas tree. As the tree was passed around the room, we each tied a ribbon on a branch and told what we were most thankful for during the past year. As the little tree made its way around the room, we began to realize the wonderful thing that God had done in our midst. Each one was telling of something painful or difficult that had happened during the year and rejoicing in the work that the Lord had done through those difficulties. By the time the tree was full of ribbons, our hearts were truly full of thanksgiving and our eyes were full of tears!"
In response to my e-mail about praying for the persecuted church, my friend Gigi Flores writes, "May I add another link that may be helpful? It's Jubilee Campaign USA. Ann Buwalda, its director, is a member of Sovereign Grace Church of Fairfax (our old church in Virginia where Benny Phillips pastured before Metro Life) and we've been involved in her ministry. It's an international organization that helps persecuted Christians and Ann is the director here in US. Here's the link for your informatiion. http://www.jubileecampaign.org/home/index.php"
Laurie, another long time reader, shares this in response to the link for Iranian Christians, "Thank you for taking the time to send out the reminder about the International Day of Prayer. I work with Iranian refugees in Brussels, Belgium and had no idea that we could get materials for children in Farsi."
My friend Ruthann Wells, who is a missionary in Italy with her husband Ken, asks: "Can you help me here? Is there some good web site for me to have Peter review Physics and Biology info in English? We are reading in Italian, but it would help to have something else. Wikipedia helps some, but some kind of textual thing for students (not college level) at high school basic level would be what we are looking for. Just an aside. Hannah is studying Russian and Spanish this year at university. We had a Bible study last night (a four week one on God and Satan) and we were thrilled that 15 people showed up-9 were Italian. It's exciting to see them opening their Bibles and reading God's word for themselves." If you have any ideas for Ruthann, send them to me at [email protected] and I'll pass them along to her.
Janelle Merrell, in response to my request for stories of God's faithfulness in tough times, writes: "I want to share a story of thankfulness. I'm 36, married to a 46 year old for 18 years. My husband's parents were married 17 years before they had their only child. My mother-in-law died at age 63, just 3 years after we married, but she was blessed to know both her grandsons. Ten years later, my father-in-law, at age 83, moved in with us. He had advanced prostate cancer, diabetes, had just left the hospital from treatment for constant dizziness and was prone to fall. My husband and I had just moved one month earlier from a 700 square foot house to a house over 1200 square feet. God knew. I was busy already, home schooling my 12 year old & 14 year old and doing secretarial and other work for our church. But God gave us the best 6 month home school curriculum that I ever could have asked for. We had moved away from family 6 years earlier, so this gave our boys a chance to connect with their Papa again. I am so thankful for the life lessons we learned during that time. As hard as it was, I wouldn't give anything for the time I gave taking care of the man who loved me like his own, just as his wife had. He died in our home as we stood around him, and the peace of the Lord made His presence known. Thank you for the opportunity to share. Papa died three and a half years ago in the very room I am sitting in. I have just now lovingly looked over the detailed records that I kept during his time with us. I have not even been able to look at them until now, because every time I've tried to, the tears would come. There are a few now, but more of joy than sadness."
Our friend Paul Balluff send in this link: "It's time for your U.S. Geography Test! You must drag and drop all 48 of the continental states in the time allotted to be promoted to the 4th grade. Click the webpage.. Ready.. Begin! http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf (Phew, I just made it in the knick of time!)
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A Final Note of Gratitude from Virginia
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As I write these final words, I am thankful for so many things. Right here, I would like to express a bit of that – not for material things (which are good) but for my relationships.
First, I am filled with gratitude for the mercy of God in my life over these past 30 years since I first me him. Jesus is the treasure of treasures, the pearl of great price.
Next, I give praise to God for my family. My husband Thad is my best friend on earth, and our ten children are such blessings from above.
As you know from reading this issue, I am blessed beyond measure by Sovereign Grace Ministries (http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org) and our local Metro Life Church (http://www.metrolife.org). The people at SGM and Metro Life are some of the most awesome folk we know, and it's a privilege to worship and serve the Lord alongside you.
And finally, for my friends, who have been there to pray for me (sometimes without knowing why), exhort me, and even hold my toes to the fire when necessary. I count y'all, dear Hope Chest readers, as my friends, too, even the ones I have never met. For the past nine years, I've been able to share my heart with you, and I have received a rich blessing in return.
With Thanksgiving at hand (at least in the United States!), I'd like to close this article with a few more words from Gary Thomas:
Thanksgiving is a privilege – it creates a positive focus in my life – but it is also an obligation: "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good" (Psalm 136:1). "Give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Remember how Paul gave thanks for the Corinthians (see 1 Corinthians 1:4).
When I am thankful for my spouse, the control that the familiarity of contempt has on me is broken. I look for new things to be thankful for. I try not to take the routine things she does for granted. I never eat at somebody's house without thanking them for providing the meal; why should I not give my wife the same thanks I'd give someone else?
There are few things that lift my spirits more than simply hearing my wife or children say, "Thanks for working so hard to provide for us." Those nine words can lift a hundred pounds of pressure off my back.
Contempt is conceived with expectations. Respect is conceived with expressions of gratitude. We can choose which one we will obsess over – expectations, or thanksgivings."
Soli Deo Gloria! (To God Alone be the Glory)
Obsessing over thanksgivings,
Virginia Knowles
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