Spring Things

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Liv

 

 

 

Photo Challenge Week 20: Mothers

 

 

'cuz every mother has her thing.

 

And Photo Challenge Week 21: Favourites

 

The old radio that doesn't work. The beluga whale from the Atlanta Aquarium. A vintage cowboy book from a sister that knows me too well. Heather from the St. Andrews farmer's market.

Yup. We all have favourites.

 

 

 

What are some of yours?

 

 

 

~Liv

So Blessed.

I recently  heard Psalm 88 called a beautiful picture of blessing. I’m not sure if you familiar with it - but I’ll give you a verse highlight. “You have taken me from my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.”

Left to my own devices, this would probably be the last Bible passage I would associate with the word blessing.

“Blessing” is relegated to the category of christian cliches, these days – and one that bugs me, to boot. Mostly, we hear it in association with the words, ‘baby’, ‘husband’ and ‘[insert something you wanted badly and received.]’

Worse still, is when people pull ‘blessed’ out as a word to describe prosperity, supposedly stemming from their obedience to God. “God blessed us with money when we trusted Him for provision.” “God blessed me with a husband when I was content.” “God blessed us with eleven children when we handed our fertility over to him.”

And I don’t think we have a leg to stand on if we say these things and circumstances are bad. They’re not! God is good to us – sometimes giving us people and life situations that seem so good to us.

You wonder though, how does it all fit with psalm 88? By the cliché’s standard, this guy doesn’t sound blessed. He sounds cursed! And you begin to wonder why we don’t hear the words ‘blessed’ on the lips of a mom with one child hanging from her leg and another who just spilled cocoa powder. Or from the single girl who longs for marriage as another birthday ticks by. Or the father whose children, grown and gone, are turned hard against the Lord…

And they wonder what they’re doing wrong.

Blessed? It sure doesn’t feel like it.

Yet that’s the point.

Right in the middle of psalm 88 comes a set of questions and as you read you hear the answers echoing back in your mind.

“Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?”

It’s a whisper. Yes

“Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?”

Is anyone thinking of the empty tomb? The answer is louder – Yes! And what the minister spoke to, the blessing in psalm 88, clicks.

Because blessing is not a feeling. It is not a gold star for merit, or a reward for a job well done.

It is entirely, (hallelujah!) God’s seal of Grace on His children, because of what Christ has accomplished.

 His job well done.

In fact, as ones that the Father loves, blessed is our state of being – no matter what ups and downs we face.

In deepest discouragement, when ‘darkness is my closest friend’, we don’t have to ask why blessing is denied us. In true fact – we are closer than ever to the source of all blessing.

And You know what He loves? For us to come in our weakness and seek His face. Like the man from Psalm 88 – to search, and seek, and throw ourselves on God’s strength -  ‘not letting Him go until He blesses us,”  - these are the prayers that in His time, He will answer Yes.

And to have Him revealed to us – is really, the only blessing we need.

 

~Liv

Photo Challenge Week 19: Still Life

~Liv

P.s. Don't forget Mother's Day tomorrow! Because the woman who grew you for nine months, changed your diaper for two years, and put up with your fingerprints on her fridge for much longer - deserves some sort of hug, kiss and thank you!

We don't know what we would do without you, Moms!

For the last few months I have been frustrated by the seemingly endless blogs that portray motherhood as this perfection of duty.  This seeming striving for perfection that is exhausting, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.  A striving that forgets God's grace.  I have started and restarted a post to somehow express the truth and honesty I feel is important for all women and aspiring wives and mothers to read about, but just haven't been able to organize my thoughts well enough.

I was thinking it would be a fitting mother's day weekend post to finally formulate my thoughts. However, I read Ann Voskamp's latest post here: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/05/why-mothers-day-is-for-the-birds/ and it basically said everything I wanted to say and more.  If you are a mother...if you hope to be a mother someday...read this.  And just rest in God's grace today and who He has made you to be.
  Much love,
        -Abigail xx

Nothing Nicer

There is nothing nicer than sewing for a new baby! I had the fun of it this winter - and I found some great tutorials along the way.

First and Foremost - Burp Cloths. (Sorry Millie)...but what else do you call them?

I used a towel for the back which was stiff, but should be absorbant.

Tutorial here: http://www.danamadeit.com/2012/04/celebrate-baby-tutorial-burp-cloth-gift-sets.html

Quilts are pretty much the ultimate gift to anyone - anytime, anywhere. (In my opinion.) But with super-soft minky on the back? Perfect for baby.

Quilt Pattern found here: http://aquiltisnice.blogspot.ca/2008/09/zig-zag-quilt-kit-tutorial.html

And I know not everyone is into nursing covers - but if you are - this tutorial was very quick and easy!

http://www.prudentbaby.com/2010/01/diy-nursing-cover.html

That's all for now!

~Liv

Photo Challenge Week 18: Fiesta or Siesta?

With babies, this is always the question...

Fiesta?

Or Siesta?

~Liv

This Weekend.

So...I heard there was this thing starting tonight, called a weekend.

They say it's that couple of days when you stroll the farmer's market, have naps and dine on the patio in elegance.

Huh. I think I might try that someday. Care to join me?

In the meantime, lets make weekend hay while the sun shines!

If you're working, wear a smile. If you're cooking for the church potluck, crank the music up. If you've got kids around, let them go barefoot in the mud. If you're cranky, let it go sweetheart. Do you drink coffee? Great - have another cup!

Let's live it up the next few days - right in the middle of commitments and dirty bathrooms and Sunday morning service.

This life you have right now, is where the good things are.

Look hard for them this weekend and give thanks.

 It makes the sunshine sweeter.

~Liv

Trusting Christ

This morning's quiet time blessed me with Luke 12:22 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on."

With each of the largely broadcasting calamities of late, I have seen more and more comments on social media like this: "The last days are here!" "This is seeming a lot like the last days."

 Yes...we are in the last days and have been since the ascension of our Lord.  There is trouble, there is strife, there is hunger, famine, gluttony and greed, there is death and sickness.  Amid all of this, it becomes easy to lose focus on Life.  I'm so guilty of this.  We are in the process of an international adoption...I worry about lawyer fees and other related expenses, I worry about my husband's job security, I worry about healthcare and I worry about today's very sad food industry.  But it's wrong.  While we shouldn't turn a blind eye and neglect to stand firmly for what is right and we believe in, to worry about it, to fixate on it in an unhealthy way is wrong.

 Matthew Henry says, "An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, does not become the disciple of Christ.  Fears must not prevail; when we frighten ourselves with the thoughts of evil to come, and put ourselves upon needless cares how to avoid it."

 Let's focus on Life, let's glorify God with gladness, let's set about our daily lives equipping our souls, by grace in Christ, and the souls of our children for the evils that are to come. Let's not fixate so much on the physical that we lose sight of the reason why God has created us.
                                             -Abigail xx

Funny

Funny how we ask God

why there's sin,

and bombings, and miscarriages

and cancer;

how we ask God

"Why" about these things

as if we should expect better.

But we never ask God

Why there's music

and a baby's first smile

and daffodils in spring.

Funny how we never ask God

why these things exist;

because we deserve far worse.

Funny that.

- Millie