Status Report: November 2024

Technically, this post will double as a short(er) version of my Social Media Comment Section that I haven't really bothered with since last summer. So, I'll just go ahead and add my disclaimer for that:

Because I've set a boundary for myself in my activity on social media to contribute nothing but encouragement (hopefully), I choose to not get involved in the comment sections there in what may be considered to be controversial issues. So this is my space for sharing some expounded thoughts on what I see there. 

Although to be honest, I have left a couple of comments here and there. In any event, on to the update:

Sitting: At my desk, with uncomfortably cold feet, giving side-eye to the dusting of snow I can see out my window. While I don't like to complain about the weather (God knows what He's doing with our seasonal changes) I also don't like the discomfort of cold related pain all winter. Some folks can't handle the heat, while other folks can't handle the cold. I'm the latter, and praise God for wool socks & heating pads. 😊

Been busy with: prepping & packing Christmas gift baskets going in the mail and going locally. Lots of goodies this year with freeze dried items, dehydrated & powdered items, and home canned items. Time got away from me this year and I didn't get the chance to experiment with homemade soaps, candles & lip balm as I had loosely planned for.  Those three DIY homemade projects will be on my list for learning & perfecting for next year's baskets - Lord willing. 

Re-evaluating: the entire layout of my walk-in pantry (also known as the back half of the laundry room).  I created it and built all the shelving during one of the many covid lockdowns, entirely with discarded lumber & shelving I had on hand.  It's never been pretty to look at, but it's been incredibly functional so I'm redesigning it with both elements in mind. I have a few sketches already done & a short list of materials made up and I'm hoping to get it started immediately after Christmas.  I'm planning on doing a before/during/after pictorial series on the project with simple tips & tricks on how to start one & keep one stocked for your family's needs. 

Feeling: Satisfied that I have finally been able to replace all seasonings, spices and spice blends from their plastic containers, into 36 wee glass 4 ounce Mason jars.  I loathe plastic, so I've been trying to get it out of my kitchen storage as much as possible.  All the left-over containers have been replaced with glass, and all of my bulk items such as flour & sugar have all been replaced as well.  All of my dried fruit snacks, dried veggies, honey blends, syrups, fruit & veggie powders, rice, herbs, nuts & seeds are in glass as well as the last of of the spices.  I'd be over the moon if I could replace all plastic with glass, but I'm happy with what I've been able to do so far. Funny thing is, it was Beth's post on twitter about how often you should replace your spices that reminded me that all my spice blends were next on the list to be replaced with glass jars. You just never know where your twitter posts will end up having an impact 😂

   

Thinking: Quite a lot about this quote I saw on social media recently:

"By God’s grace I have lived my whole life in community with other women who are jolly, and joyful, hardworking, kind, smart… and for the most part so busy with the things they love that they don’t care about the internet fussers." - Rachel Jankovic 

Several things stand out to me about this quote.  First, that there are women who have this testimony of being part of a faithful Christian community their entire lives.  I did not have that, and I love it so much that some women have had that. It's incredibly encouraging to me. In my own family, two of my grand daughters have been growing up in the same local church that both of their grandmothers are in. I can only hope and pray one day they both have a similar testimony as Rachel Jankovic.  

Secondly, the way she describes these women in her community: jolly, joyful, hardworking, kind & smart.  In our age of social interaction online being what it is, it's very very easy get drawn into this big deal or that big issue. But to be a woman described as jolly, joyful, hardworking, kind and smart, means these are the ladies who are directing their attention, energy & creativity to worthwhile things in their own homes or communities (both offline and online). If you'll notice, there are certain ladies on social media that you'll never see embroiled in any of this sort of thing. Never leaving unkind, catty, antagonistic comments. These are wise women.  This is an example I try very hard to pursue.  Which brings me to the third point she made in that quote that stands out to me, that also coincides with my next thought that falls into the category of the Social Media Comment Section. 

Wondering: If "internet fussers" is an accurate description of those who (while not exclusively, it's usually women leading the charge in this) also often tend to be involved in some type of internet "ministry" for lack of a better phrase, where the entire point of the ministry existing, is to point out all the things wrong with all the people they think are wrong, about, well, all the things. Or at the very least, supporting and promoting those ladies doing that.  If you've read this far, you probably just had someone come to mind. 

[Disclaimer: I'm partially qualified to write about this only because for a short time in 2005-06 I was part of a group of bloggers collating resources & articles of all the different leaders & churches that were part of the Emergent Church movement. Initially the goal was to educate on this new movement within Christian circles. After a short time, the goal shifted and I could no longer be a part of the group blog and it shut down shortly after. This was a few years before watchbloggers was even a thing, but our own blog was headed in that direction for sure.]

 

These folks usually have their "ministry" named after some variation of their own name like "The Carla Files" or named after the person or church they've targeted such as "Investigating Joe Heretic".  Back in the early days of blogging in the mid 2000's these folks were called "discernment bloggers" or "watchbloggers", a play on the phrase watch dog. Tim Challies wrote a really good article on this 10+ years ago: In The Crosshairs of the Discernment Bloggers that is still quite timely, as it describes the length some of these folks will go to even in 2024.  While blogging isn't the platform it used to be, this kind thing is definitely still around. They just use a different tool to get their messages out there: social media.  

When I read Rachel Jankovich's quote the part of about "internet fussers" really, stood out to me mostly because at one point, I would have been called one and it would have sadly been most accurate.  When I see a post from one of these folks now I always have to wonder... if they spent half the time in prayer asking God to reveal their own sinful opinions, attitudes and motives and helping them to overcome that and grow in grace, as they do pointing at other people, if they'd even have time left at the end of the day, to be an internet fusser?   

When the blog I was a part of began to shift from education to (graceless, uncharitable, antagonistic, argumentative, ugly, opinionated obnoxiousness) condemnation I had to ask myself the same (very uncomfortable) questions.  And because the answer was so painfully convicting, I knew I had no business being part of anything like that.  

I guess you can call this short thought-ramble "Confessions of a Former Internet Fusser". 😊 I sure don't have all the answers, but I know Who does, and humbling our hearts and seeking His guidance, wisdom and conviction is always the best way to begin finding those answers. 

And with that, this month's Status Update/Social Media Comment Section comes to a close. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have an incredible, blessed and fantastic day. 😊

If you have any thoughts or questions, please feel welcome to leave a comment. 

Status Report: September 2024

 September almost zipped right past without a status report so here we go...

Sitting: at my desk, listening to a dog down the street barking, kids talking as they walk to school, and birds chirping in the trees. There won't be too many more days I'll be able to sit at my desk in the morning with the windows open, so I'm enjoying it while I have it.

Been busy with: all the fall chores of putting the garden to bed. Pulling up plants that are done for the season, pruning back plants that need that and beginning the process of mulching fall leaves to give all my raised beds a nice, thick blanket for winter. 

Feeling: rather heavy hearted with the footage coming out of the south, after Hurricane Helene. Some of those little Appalachian towns are completely wiped off the map. One after another of reports of entire families deceased or missing, and so much destruction and heartache. It does my heart a little good to see so many civilians & private companies stepping up to help with food, water, shelter, etc. All of those affected are in my prayers.

Thinking: Quite a lot about so many different issues that have come up lately. In no particular order:  

• Christian Nationalism 
• Busybodies on social media 
• Bible reading challenge To the Word
• The Steve Lawson issue
• Being the kind of Titus 2 woman you wished you had as a young wife/mother

I think some of these things might be in my next Social Media Comment Section post. Maybe not so surprising, some of them are completely connected.  

I will elaborate though on the Bible reading challenge To The Word. From their site:

"Imagine a great table, loaded with the best food, perfectly prepared. This is how we view the Word of God, and it is our joy and privilege to encourage Christians to find their seats and share the bounty of it with us. The reading plan is simply the menu, the challenge is to become Christians who live and breathe the Word of God."

This is the Canon Plus 2024-2025 Bible Reading challenge that you can find here. I had no intention of starting a new Bible reading program until almost everyone I see on social media started mentioning it and then I thought "sure, why not?".  While I've studied entire books of the Bible over the years I've never been able to follow a "read the Bible in a year" all the way through.  I'm really enjoying the audio version and hope to be able to follow it through the entire year. 

Looking forward to: finally processing and/or canning all of the harvest I haven't been able to get to yet. Carrots, apples, berries, peppers, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.  Some will be canned, some frozen and some freeze dried.

Well that wraps up this month's status report (in just the nick of time!).  Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have an incredible day. 

Social Media Commment Section: Smiling Wives & Choosing Cheerfulness

Because I've set a boundary for myself in my activity on social media to contribute nothing but encouragement (hopefully), I choose to not get involved in the comment sections there in what may be considered to be controversial issues. So this is my space for sharing some expounded thoughts on what I see there. 

Over the last few days someone posted this church brochure/hand out and all sorts of people got really upset & typed all the words & made all the declarations.  Much to the surprise of many other people. Such seems to be the atmosphere of social media. 

I'm one of those people who was surprised to see so many people say so many negative things about this brochure.  Mostly it just made me feel sort of sad for those who immediately saw something off-putting about it. But I also sort of understood, in a way. 

I hope you'll follow along and indulge me as I weave together why it seems sad, and also why it also, sort of makes sense. 

Not long ago I was having a discussion with someone about bitterness, and what causes people to become bitter. I suspect it's at least in part, a lot of personal experience with being disappointed, betrayed, disrespected, etc. Regular life stuff, relationships, workplace issues, family issues, etc. that were terribly negative experiences.  I believe these things naturally bring some heavy, painful emotions that can be overwhelming and change the way you think, and cause bitterness. Along with that bitterness, comes the habit of seeing almost everything, whether intentionally negative or not, with a jaundiced eye because of the past personal experiences. Because we all have a story and some of us have way more painful stories than others, this is something that really hit home with me.  A lot of what I see on social media is this kind of heavy, emotionally charged negative stuff. It's that classic "garbage in = garbage out" paradigm. 

By contrast, the Bible tells us one of the fruits of the Spirit that Christians have is that of self-control. Over all things, including our emotions & emotional reactions. We're not to be lead around by our emotions at all. We're supposed to be sober minded (calm, temperate) and thankful and let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. 

It may sound silly or cliche but actively & intentionally engaging in an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness the way the Scriptures teach us, really does radically bless you. A friend online in one of these discussions about the brochure nailed it when she pointed out the importance of "the goodness of cultivating a disposition that is cheerful".  If you've ever been around someone who always seems to be in a good mood, it's likely not because they live a blessed life free from all the garbage. But instead, it's because they've chosen to focus on what builds up and encourages, and that's a blessing and setting a tremendous example. Not only does it bless and set an example for you, but it does the same for everyone around you. These are very, very good things to encourage one another toward.

So what does any of that have to do with this church's handout? Glad you asked 😊 and if you're still reading, thanks for hanging in there. I promise I'm getting to the point. 

A couple of years ago I'd read something online somewhere about Christian attitudes, and one of the questions was something along the lines of "what are you known by" and another was "what do you think defines you?"  

Great questions. Really great questions.

I thought about my own life and how those questions apply. I have just as many heavy, painful stories as others. Far less than some for sure, but way more than others, or so I've been told.  But I certainly don't want to be known by those heavy, painful, emotional events and how bitter they might have made me were it not for God's grace. I definitely don't want to be defined by that because it's not encouraging or helpful to anyone. 

I'd definitely much rather be defined as someone who chose to practice what it looks like to be thankful & cultivating a disposition, a reputation of genuine cheerfulness, and someone that has the peace of Christ ruling in my heart. Because I am thankful, cheerful, filled with peace and hopeful, despite all the awful this life has offered.  More than anything I hope this is what defines me, and ultimately, what I'm known by. 

So... when I saw this church's handout, even before I saw all the commentary, it just made me smile. Because, this is exactly the kind of "list" that sets a great example for all of us to aspire to. 

Despite all else let us all aim to be known as those with:

Smiling Wives, Obedient Children, Loud Singing, Strong Handshakes, Young Marriages, Good Manners, Biblical Preaching & Reverent Worship. 

And to God be all the glory.

Thanks for stopping by and reading.  

I hope you were blessed by what you found here. Please feel free to leave a comment. 

Man's Chief End

One of my favorite playlists for the last year or so has been Brian Sauve's Westminster Shorter Catechism Songs. I recalled when we used to homeschool and taught this to our kids and thinking how much I would have loved to have this version back in the day when our kids were learning it. I think singing it together would have been loads of fun, and much easier to memorize. 

These days, any time I have a household project to do, I put this playlist on. It's been the background music for canning in the kitchen, graphic design work in the office, seed starting in the grow room, laundry, dishes, building projects in the shop, making breakfast or starting dinner... too many times to even count. It's replaced any other music I used to listen to in the house or shop, because it keeps my focus where it should be and keeps my thoughts engaged with what Scripture teaches about living the Christian life.

If you hold to the Westminster Shorter Catechism as I do, you know that first question is:  

"What is the chief end of man?"  

With the answer being: 

"man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever". 

How does that play out in the day to day interaction with all the things we find ourselves discussing or catching our attention? The first seven words of that answer sets the entire stage for every day, and every way we use to express ourselves. Even if it's just our own private thoughts about something.

"Man's chief end is to glorify God".

Every word, every thought, every action, every text, every social media post, every intention, every attitude, every mood,  every everything that we do or think or say is to glorify God. No exceptions and no excuses. That's a really tall order, and one I find myself falling short of, often.

In every day life, both offline and online, it's so easy to get caught up in the emotion of a thing we've read about, or the injustice of a thing we've heard about or something heavy we might be dealing with in our own personal lives.  But to reign in those emotions or outrage over a thing and to glorify God with our lives means we take the time needed to respond or react with grace, truth, patience, kindness, wisdom and with encouragement and edification to bring our thoughts and our words about those things fully into alignment with what honors God.  

The Scriptures have much to say about practicing self-control, and one of the best ways I've found to steer me in that direction and cause me to meditate on it, is to sing along with these Catechism songs that remind me what it means to literally live out my faith, and hopefully in the process, truly glorify God. 

I hope you'll check out that playlist and be blessed by it! 😀

Simply, Grow Up

When I decided to resume blogging at the beginning of the year, one of the first things I did was give my blog a complete makeover.  From the layout, to format, to the content. 

I even painted and redecorated. 😊  Everything was refreshed and updated to more accurately reflect the content I prefer to make public in 2024. Well, everything except my profile pic which is at least 10+ years old. I was having a fabulous, flat-iron hair day at my favorite steak house.  That pic will eventually be updated as well.   

In any event, while in the process of doing all of that the thought occured to me how vastly different it is to "meet" someone online, than it used to be meeting someone in person. Up until about 20 years ago (give or take), when you met someone (in person) and began to form a friendship with them, you were simply meeting that person in the context of who they currently are. 

What they think, today.  What their politics are, today.  What faith or lack of faith they have, today.  You had no way of digging into their past to discover who they were or what they thought or believed 5 or 10 years ago and the very idea of even being willing or able to do that probably struck most of us as sort of sketchy, stalker type behavior. That's the sort of thing you may or may not learn as you get to know the person and they share some of that information with you. A sort of natural progression in an actual relationship dynamic. 

It's probably not a small thing that we are literally the first people in all of human history to ever write down (or in our case, type out) every thought, every opinion, every like, dislike on every topic under the sun, political or religious position, and then publish it for the entire world to see.  Day after day, month after month, year after year for nearly 2 decades now on social media platforms alone, but even blogs like this from the early 2000's and personal web pages going back to the early 90's for many of us.  While the world has always had writers and dreamers, the internet and social media in particular, has given a platform to the entire world to be a writer, a dreamer or as the world likes to call it now, an influencer.

We're also the first people in all of human history to be able to just "google" anyone you want, and read everything they've ever posted, good, bad & ugly. It's like we're all writing our own reviews of ourselves that anyone can just log on and read. 

Kind of wild when you think of it that way but, that's what we're doing. 😲

Earlier this year while tidying up my blog, I found countless posts containing positions I no longer hold on various social issues, opinions I no longer have on all sorts of things, and loads of sinful, cringe attitude I no longer entertain. These are things I no longer want "out there" in the world, representing me today because it's simply no longer who I am.  Those who knew me then may or may not recall how I was 5, 10 or 20 years ago, but I've decided I prefer to do things the way human beings have done since the dawn of humanity.  

Simply, to grow up. Then allow the young, full of girl-boss attitude, mouthy, crass, often unkind, immature me to just fade from memory, hopefully, the way those kinds of memories fade in a natural progression in any normal relationship. Instead of being documented in an easily searchable format to showcase every dumb, immature, ignorant thing I ever said. Not that every post I ever published was full of this kind of immaturity, enough of them were over the years that it demanded my attention to be sure.  While we all go through that phase of life, I'm leaving that in the past where it belongs. And simply, starting over, from here. Starting over from a far more compassionate and quiet spirit, as the Lord has led over the years. 

I've had some pretty extreme thoughts about social media over the years but at the end of the day it's really just a tool.  I know some use it the wrong way but I see so many people using it for really good things and I've deliberately decided for 2024 and going forward, I'm choosing to use it as a tool that hopefully showcases God's grace, some encouragement for whoever might need it and maybe even a smile or a laugh or two, to brighten someone's day. 

I hope this has encouraged you in some way. 😊

Life Seasons & Titus 2 Calling

When I decided to begin blogging again, I made the choice to archive all my old posts here from 2004 through 2023. I didn't archive them because I'm ashamed of anything I wrote in those 19 years (although some of them may actually be quite cringe, or outdated for sure), but because I wanted a completely clean slate for writing about this season of life. 

When this blog began I was a 40 year old homeschooling mom with a houseful of kids from toddlers to teens and my oldest had already moved out.  Over the course of the lifetime of the blog back then, there were all sorts of trials and joys, bumps and surprises, mountains and valleys that the Lord graciously brought me through to the other side.  But now I'm in a brand new chapter and things look much different from this new perspective.

At the end of this year I'll turn 60, and that idea is sort of surreal, if I'm being honest. I've never really sat around and thought about what a 60 year old me would look like to me, but if I did, I think I would have hoped that she'd be smart, kind, compassionate, patient, and had allowed her life's many dark and painful trials to refine her into a more Godly woman. Someone that I'd want to be friends with, and be encouraged by. So then a short while ago when I had the opportunity to have a conversation about growing in grace, spiritual maturity and being an example to others, I realized that without even really knowing it, I'd sort of been waiting around for some official timeline to start being the Titus 2 Lady.  

It's kind of funny when I think about it now but then wondered if Titus 2 Ladies just suddenly realize "it's time" as I realized it's time I begin intentionally being the example I hoped the 60 year old me, would eventually become. Specifically, I want to be the person that always has a word of hope and encouragement, knowing how much it's needed in dark days. 

And that's so much harder than it sounds. Quite often these days the temptation is to respond in a less than grace-filled manner when someone says something inappropriate, incorrect, insulting or just something else you disagree with in some way (whether in person or online in social media settings).  It's disturbingly easy to blast someone for saying something ugly, while it takes far more grace and far more self-control to respond in a manner that takes the sting out of their words and infuse something sweet-smelling into the conversation that makes people stop and think. That last part takes a lot of intentional creativity and prayerful thought. Instead of a knee-jerk reaction, you have to literally stop yourself and think carefully before responding, and that's not always an easy thing to do.  But it's so incredibly valuable. And sadly, in an incredible short supply. 

While thinking about this today, I saw comments from several people on social media (on two different platforms, and several different conversations - which tells me that many others are struggling with this) talking about this subject, and it really hit home. The comments essentially said that it's quite often the prideful, arrogant and immature who constantly correct, criticize and scold, while the spiritually mature and wise are the ones who tend to exhort, encourage and build up. I thought that was a pretty interesting observation that multiple people seemed to be in agreement with.  

In one of the short conversations a woman stated she was so tired of being constantly told she's "doing it wrong" (referring to herself being a young, Christian mother), being criticized and insulted, and would be leaving social media, as that has ruined it for her to be able to enjoy anymore. I don't know the person who said this but it made me sad to see how constant criticism & scolding truly tears a person down. I hope she finds someone who will come alongside her and be an example of Godly grace and encouragement that she needs in her life.  Honestly, how many of us as young Christian moms needed this in our lives?  I know I sure did.   

So, as I begin chapter 60 this year, my hope and my goal is to be the person I hoped I'd be. The one Scripture calls me to be: 

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Titus 2:3-5

While all of it applies of course, these attributes I've bolded make it obvious that this is exactly the kind of conduct us older women are to be busily engaged in, to both glorify God and be examples to younger women. 

I hope this blesses and greatly encourages you.