One Day at a Time

I have a confession. There are days when it seems life is coming at me like a freight train. I see expectations barreling down the track, and I sense doom. My first instinct is…Danger! Escape! Run!!!

Then…”I can’t do this! I won’t make it!”

(If you ever see me running wildly down the road, pray, then please run after me!)

That self-help train is a mirage. It’s an illusion that we must have life all figured out, with perfect contingencies for every circumstance, and a guaranteed outcome.  And those thoughts? Those are fiery darts designed to bring us down and get us to quit.

The Lord, our unyielding Strength, impenetrable Shield, and Stronghold of salvation, says this:

“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

He says we will make it through!

Living as “more than conquerors” doesn’t mean that we’re strong. It’s accepting in humility that we’re weak. It’s realizing that we still need the gospel every day. It’s knowing that “we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

We are not alone. We are aligned with the God of endurance. Jesus always lives to make intercession for us. The Holy Spirit gives us the courage each day to take on life.  We are not heading toward a dead end, but moving from a living hope. We can breathe. We can trust. We can rest.

John Piper says, “Part of saving faith is the assurance that you will have faith tomorrow.  Trusting Christ today includes trusting Him to give you tomorrow’s trust when tomorrow comes.  Often we feel today like our reservoir of strength is not going to last for another day.  The fact is, it won’t.  Today’s resources are for today, and part of those resources is the confidence that new resources will be given tomorrow."

He who gave us the faith to believe will give us the faith to keep believing.

In Christ, we will make it.

One day at a time.

(Psalm 28:7-8 (Amplified), Hebrews 7:25, 1 Peter 1:3)

Awaken to His Grace

A message I recently shared with the women in our church....

I lay in bed the other morning feeling a sense of dread. Do I even want to get up? It had been a rough week so far, and I didn't know what the day held for me. What dangers lurk ahead today?  I may get sucked into a black hole! Maybe I should stay here under safe covers. But I whispered, “Lord, have mercy on me,” and got out of bed.

Sipping on a mug of coffee, I opened my Bible, and soon the God of Hope spoke with His gentle and gracious voice.

He quieted my fears and gave me strength to equal my day. He refreshed my spirit. He comforted me with His tender mercies. He reassured me of His unfailing love and set me free from the lies that would hold me captive. He gave me an expanded capacity to love. He proclaimed His sovereignty and gave me the peace to relinquish my role as a control freak. He dared me to believe His promises. He flooded my heart with courage, enough courage to lay my Isaac down. He clothed me with gladness.

I leaned on Him, and my soul rested.

This is His holy exchange: my weakness for His enabling grace.

And He promises the same for all who come to Him:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle, meek, and humble, lowly in heart, and you will find rest, relief, and ease and refreshment and blessed quiet for your souls.

“For My yoke is wholesome, useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp or pressing, but comfortable, gracious and pleasant—and My burden is light and easy to be borne” (Matthew 11:28-30, Amplified).

Amy Carmichael wrote, “May each one touch at least the border of His garment. One knows when one has done that. It is different from just reading or even just praying. Something happens when we touch. What happened? Who can tell? Only we know that something has passed from Him to us – courage to do the difficult thing we had feared to do; patience to bear with that trying one; fortitude to carry on when we felt we could not; sweetness, inward happiness, peace.

“God’s way is to take some word in His Book, and make it spirit and life. Then, relying upon that word, it is possible for us to go on from strength to strength. There is always something new in our lives which calls for vital faith, if we are to go on with God; but there is always the word waiting in His Book which will meet us just where we are and carry us further on.”

The Doctor is in! He heals the brokenhearted and binds up our wounds. He breathes life into dry bones. May we daily accept His invitation to come and have a conversation. May we meet Him in the secret place, choosing the one thing which will not be taken away. May we enter His holy exchange and receive beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

May He be our exceeding joy, and may our lives display His splendor.

The next time the alarm clock goes off?

Trust Him; it’s okay to get out of bed.

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:23-25

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます!

We enjoyed our traditional first meal of the year. Ozoni!

This year, I'm following the Bible Reading Plan for Shirkers and Slackers. I made it through other reading plans, but this one seems to be a good fit for this coming year. It combines structure with flexibility, discipline with grace. My kids are following the same plan. Will you join us? If you're interested, here's the printable plan.

I loved this post by John Piper, and I am taking it to heart: A New Year's Plea: Plan!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105

Year End Rambles, Part 2

While the kids were studying, speaking, sewing, sparring, and serving, Alan and I had our share of excitement. 

ALAN & ME

Alan's company was acquired by Extreme Networks in November. It's too soon to tell what changes lie ahead, so we will continue on as we've always done...trusting God. Besides work, which he loves, Alan enjoys shuttling the kids around to various activities, snuggling with Nutmeg, and serving at our wonderful church. He is my steady strength when I am weak and my comic relief when things get too serious. 

As for me, I barely survived made it through our first year of high school. (Dark chocolate helped!) I served as a judge at four speech and debate tournaments and lived to tell the day. I spoke at two women's retreats and didn't pass out at either one. I meditated on the character of God and wrote a Bible study. I drove thousands of miles and got into a 4-car crash (no one was seriously injured). I wept at funerals and prayed for friends with cancer. 

Every December, I ask God for a word for the coming year. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the word He gave me for 2014: COURAGE.

MY MOM [AMY]

The biggest change in our family involved my mom. After my stepdad passed away last year, I did my best to support her, but it was challenging to do so long distance. Mom lived in Hawaii for 50+ years and loved it there, so we were happily surprised when she decided to retire and move to California to be near us. Like Abraham answering God's call to go to an unknown land, Mom took a courageous step of faith, and His hand on her life soon became clear to us.

After a whirlwind of moving Mom into her retirement community, furniture shopping, driver's license testing, finding new doctors, and so on, things are finally starting to settle down for Mom. One of the biggest blessings of having her near is that she joins us for church every Sunday. She has remarked often how much she likes our church and the people in it. 

One Sunday, our pastor announced that we were having the last baptism of the year. Unbeknownst to us, God had apparently been stirring Mom's heart, because she suddenly announced that she wanted to get baptized! I had shared the gospel with Mom before, but I wasn't sure if she had truly grasped the truth of it. In talking with her about her decision, it turns out that when she was a single mom, and I was just a little girl, she had gone to a church in Hawaii. While there, the pastor had given an altar call to receive Christ, and Mom had gone forward! God had had His hand on her life for a very long time, and she finally wanted to make that decision public. 

And so it was an unspeakable joy for our entire family to witness Mom follow Christ in baptism on a sunny November day. Our pastor asked me to join her in the water to help dunk her. What an incredible honor and privilege! Thank You, Jesus, for Your grace!

We know that God has more to do in and through Mom. We're looking forward to seeing what He has in store for her!


NUTMEG [6]

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention our lovable Nutmeg, who brightens our days and sneaks into photo ops!

A POEM FOR THE NEW YEAR

In Memoriam, Lord Alfred Tennyson

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light: 
The year is dying in the night; 
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new, 
Ring, happy bells, across the snow: 
The year is going, let him go; 
Ring out the false, ring in the true. 

Ring out the grief that saps the mind 
For those that here we see no more; 
Ring out the feud of rich and poor, 
Ring in redress to all mankind. 

Ring out a slowly dying cause, 
And ancient forms of party strife; 
Ring in the nobler modes of life, 
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin, 
The faithless coldness of the times; 
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes 
But ring the fuller minstrel in. 

Ring out false pride in place and blood, 
The civic slander and the spite; 
Ring in the love of truth and right, 
Ring in the common love of good. 

Ring out old shapes of foul disease; 
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; 
Ring out the thousand wars of old, 
Ring in the thousand years of peace. 

Ring in the valiant man and free, 
The larger heart, the kindlier hand; 
Ring out the darkness of the land, 
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Year End Rambles, Part 1

My year end rambles didn't make it in time for our Christmas card this year, so here's my ode to 2013!

God surprised us with blessings around every corner. He graced us with strength for every trial and provision for every need. Our cups overflow with gratitude.

JONATHAN [16]

Jonathan turned 16 this year. Friends ask, "Are you getting your driver's license?" To which he replies, "Nah, I don't trust myself." Finally, we agree on something! 

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The highlight of Jonathan's year was his summer spent at a research lab. Much of what he worked on is top secret (patent pending), but what little I could understand was that it involved engineering a machine using physics and chemistry principles to recycle energy efficiently.

Along with helping out as the Linux admin and coder, Jonathan collaborated, designed, and tinkered with the rest of the team. Through a physics computation, he discovered a flaw in the machine's design. This turned out to be a significant turning point as the team used this new discovery to make changes to the machine. Because of his contribution, the chief scientist asked Jonathan to present his findings at the lab's open house, so he donned his suit and did his thing. 

Shortly thereafter, God opened another door for Jonathan to work with a UCI research team and a Google programmer on a web app project. He is learned a ton and working hard to contribute to the project. We are grateful for the opportunities God has brought his way!

For his sophomore year, Jonathan is juggling a heavy academic load. Nutmeg seems to know just when he could use a little support. Sometimes you just need a study buddy!

Homeschooling is not all about school, however. We also find time for a little music. :-)

ELIZABETH [14]

What joy Elizabeth brings to our family. She and I share a love of poetry, chocolate, and good books. The Lord blessed her with a terrific year!

Driving Jonathan to the lab in LA three to four times a week kept us very busy this summer. While we waited for him, Elizabeth, Daniel, and I had many adventures discovering museums, parks, libraries, and dim sum dives. On one of our escapades, Elizabeth planned a fun hike which led us to a pretty waterfall.

While visiting parks, our young naturalist often caught bugs in jars to bring home, where she transferred them into more comfortable habitats. I got over my initial squeamishness and let her slice the best fruits for her bugs while we ate the leftovers. 

Elizabeth learned how to sew with the machine this summer, which opened up a new world of possibilities. She attacked fabric with a vengeance and whipped up a pair of shorts, a top, a backpack, and a pillowcase. She especially enjoyed sewing a stuffed dog for her little cousin. She later realized that, in her exuberance, she had mistakenly stuffed the dog's ears too. Thankfully, her little cousin didn't seem to mind. :-)

When she didn't have her nose stuck in the pages of a book, Elizabeth wrote poetry, baked gluten free pizzas, and painted with watercolors.We never know what she's going to create next. She's also discovered a love for English Country Dancing!

Elizabeth's biggest accomplishment this past year was overcoming her fear of public speaking. She competed in two speech tournaments with an original oratory speech on Temple Grandin, which she wrote, memorized, and delivered. This school year, she is excited about competing in new categories. We are proud of our young orator for taking on the challenge, and look forward to seeing how God is going to use her voice for His glory!

DANIEL [12]

Following the footsteps of his older siblings, Daniel finally became old enough to join our speech league this year. As the family extrovert, he couldn't wait to get started! His first order of business? Getting a suit!



Daniel has already competed in his first tournament a couple of weeks ago, performing a Duo Interpretation speech with his sister. He can't wait for future tourneys. The best is yet to come!

Besides tackling the stage, Daniel kicked and sparred to become the youngest person in our family to earn his Taekwondo black belt.

No one can spend ten minutes talking to Daniel and escape his obsession with the Air Force. After spending time at the aviation camp last year, he has been dreaming about attending the Air Force Academy. To prepare, he's been timing his runs, memorizing factoids about military aircraft, and cheering on the Falcons football team. He plans to spend some of his Christmas money on a chin up bar so he can train even more intensely next year. 

Air Force aside, this year Daniel joined The Army. GOD'S ARMY! In June, he prayed to commit his life to Christ. One month later, he followed Christ in baptism! What a glorious day! 

As parents, we have no greater joy than to see our children walk in truth.

By far, the richest memories of the year were the ones that couldn't be captured by a camera. God moving, hearts changing, prayers answered. 

Thank you, Lord, for a memorable year!

"Trust...in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." 1 Timothy 6:17

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

King's College Choir. Sublime lyrics and performance.


(ignore the banner that pops up briefly...it will disappear)

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree

His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne'er can tell
His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne'er can tell
The glory which I now can see
In Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
I missed of all but now I see
'Tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I'm weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
I'm weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
Under the shadow I will be
Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.

This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5

Merriest Christmas!

"And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:9-11

God is Faithful

If our family waved a banner over 2013, it would say: "God is faithful."

Our Advent calendar has been a reminder of this . I am supposed to fill a cubbyhole each day with a treat (dark chocolate candy cane truffles, yum!), a note promising something fun, a prayer or a poem. But I took out the calendar a few days late. And in the flurry of our busy life, some days I forgot to fill the cubbyhole.

My kids are forgiving, and I'm thankful. The sun rises with another chance for redemption. We keep opening doors...12, 13, 14, 15...each day marching towards the culmination of Christmas. When we finally open the last door, we will proclaim: Jesus is here! The Door of Heaven! Despite my unfaithfulness, He is here. 

Because of my unfaithfulness, He is here.

"God is faithful." At the end of next year, I am sure we will be waving the same banner again.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

Pastor Tony: A Man Who Exalts God

Pastor Tony and his beautiful wife, Julee

Today is our beloved Pastor Tony's birthday. I won't say which one, but it is a Big One. :-)

We have been gathering thoughts from everyone on how he has impacted their lives. This is what I wrote:

When I watch Tony in action, I can almost read the questions running through his mind:

How will this exalt Christ? 
How should we love people? 
How can we grow in wisdom? 
How can I make the truth clear? 
Who do we need to pray for? 
Who needs encouragement? 
How can we reach the world?

I am deeply grateful for the way Tony lives his life. He displays God's beauty and goodness in such a way that we cannot help but love Him more. He gives us a bigger vision of how we can live for Christ. He studies hard to rightly divide the word of truth so that we don't get sloppy or complacent about our faith. He pokes fun at himself, loves his wife, and plays with his kids. He's not afraid to be real. 

Happy Birthday, Tony! You are appreciated more than words can express! Because of you, I want to be more like Christ.

"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58

Victory in Jesus

I went to a funeral today. It was for my friend's dad. Although we've never met, I felt like I knew him from the many emails she forwarded to her friends as she asked us to pray. He battled cancer for 2 years, and through the entire journey he continually spoke of his hope in Christ. 

In one of his emails, he wrote:

Now we are getting down to where the rubber meets the road, that is do I really believe the Lord is with me in my cancer journey?  In my last email I stated “He does not say we won’t have times of testing, sorrow, and tribulation, but He does say He will be there with us through it all and I firmly believe this and I know it is all according to His will.”

So yes, I am still holding to this, He is with me and He is with us all. The only problem is we sometimes move too far off and we don’t feel His presence, but He is there regardless. His being there does not depend on our position with Him but rather His position with us and that never changes, He is unchanging.

Howard impacted me through his words. Never underestimate the power of words. So I went to honor this precious man. By honoring her dad, I also honored my friend, Lori. She is one of the kindest women I know, someone who genuinely exudes gratitude. I find that a rare attribute these days, and I admire that in her. I am positive that there is a connection between who her dad was and the woman she is today.

At the service, people stood up and paid tribute to Howard's years of faithfulness. Among many things, he had served in Awana for 38 (!) years. One young man got involved as a little boy, and he is now a youth pastor. And we sang old hymns like I used to sing at the Baptist church of my girlhood. My heart lifted when we sang:

Oh, victory in Jesus, 
My Savior, forever
He sought me and He bought me
With His redeeming blood
He loved me ere I knew him
And all my love is due Him
He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing blood

Cindy also went to a funeral recently. She said it was good that they had gone. "They are a part of the liturgy of life. They are the dark days that make the light ever so much brighter." 

Christian funerals are bittersweet. We grieve because we are the ones who have been left behind. But we do not grieve as those who have no hope. We rejoice in knowing our loved one is in the fullness of joy with our Savior. So we go to the funeral to express love and hope and faith and solidarity. It's a time to acknowledge the beauty and brevity of life. It's a time to remind ourselves that the petty things will one day pass away. It's a time to declare: life matters. This life and the next life. It's a time to let the victory of Christ resound once again.

"It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart." Ecclesiastes 7:2

A Prayer While Waiting for the Kingdom of God

Watercolor by Elizabeth

A Prayer While Waiting for the Kingdom of God

Give these bones
breath to dance.

Give your people
a song to sing in exile.

Give the mustard seed
roots to grow.

Give Hagar and Ishmael
an oasis to rest.

Give those behind locked doors
a vision of hope.

Give the widow
flour for her bread.

Give the fig tree
fruit to bear.

Give the leper
a temple for his praise.

Give the Easter lily
a reason to bloom.

- Writing to God, Rachel Hackenberg


"Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him." Psalm 30:18