1000 gifts - wonderful books edition

Warning, this a ridiculously long post! I really don't expect anyone to read it in entirety. Just skim my list of wonderful books, and check out a few of my many links if anything looks intriguing. I haven't posted in a while, so I just got a little carried away.


Can't believe it's almost July! Here in Wyoming, at 7200 ft, summer has only just found us, but the good part of that is it never gets miserably hot and humid here. It's a gorgeous summer, but too quickly flying by. As result I don't post as much because I'm so busy outside trying to soak up every delicious bit of summer. This picture is of my two older girls with their dear friend Lori, daughter of my dear friend Karen. It's taken at the beautiful gardens at Glen Eyrie Castle, Colorado Springs.

But I don't want to neglect my 1000 gifts list, because it's such a blessing compiling it and sharing it. The 1000 gifts is a list of all the gifts God has given me that I'm thankful for, to live out the command "give thanks in all things" (1 Thess. 5:18) in my daily walk. I've been reading so many good books lately, I thought it would be a good theme for this part of the list. Especially since I just won my first book (at a writer's/reader's website), was given my first two books to review, and got my first two signed books!


61. Lighting a fire again in marriage can be more than you bargain for
At the Christian writers' workshop at Glen Eyrie I was at earlier in June, I met Megan DiMaria, an author with two newly published books. She was working on the plot for her third book, which is a about time-travel - right up my alleys since the story I'm writing has a time-twist in it. She gave me her first published book, as long as I promised to tell people about it. Which I am glad to do! It's called Searching for Spice and it's beautifully written, a down home story about rediscovering love in marriage. I highly recommend it. I will devote an entire post to this book here soon, but wanted to include it here as part of my 1000 gifts.

62. Meeting an author and buying her book
At the same writers' workshop, I spent most of my time workshopping with another Christian author, Kathryn Mackel, and she had lots of writing wisdom for our wonderful group of about 15 ladies. I had never read anything by her before, so I picked one of her books for sale (hard to choose, but this one had a horse on the cover): the Hidden. And Kathy signed it for me. I think I would call it a suspense novel (there are several mysterious deaths and a lot of mystery and tension) with a bit of supernatural wonder in it, not to mention several beautiful Arabian horses. The quality of writing was excellent. I highly recommend this book too and will be definitely be getting more of Kathy's books.

63. Brainstorming ideas a writers' retreat
Which reminds me, another gift are those same ladies mentioned above, my fellow writers/dreamers and followers of Christ. They had some absolutely amazing writing projects and ideas. It was so neat to hear excerpts and brainstorm with them. I have all their emails, and hope to stay in touch.

64. Discovering the Fire in Fiction
Picked up another book at the workshop, the Fire in Fiction, by Donald Maass. The author wasn't present to sign it, but so many people were talking about this book I'm excited to read it.

65. Discovering how to win books
I won a book at Steena Holmes's blog, Chocolate Reality, (don't you love that name?) another fellow writer and member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) - which I will be joining shortly after hearing so many good things about this organization at the workshop. There are so many blogs where you can win books and other goodies, all you have to do is leave a comment and you are entered! I won The One That I Want, by Allison Winn Scotch. Okay, I haven't even gotten it yet in the mail, but I'm still so excited!

66. Harry & David Moose Munch chocolate bar
This isn't a book, but I also won a gift box of fancy chocolates from another blog, YA Highway (a blog for Young Adult writers). The chocolate showed up a couple days ago, and it's almost gone already. I've never tried Harry & David's chocolates because they are so expensive, but I must say now that they are WORTH EVERY PENNY. Well, it was prize - I didn't pay anything, but WOW. The Moose Munch chocolate bar was the most amazing, silky, delicious chocolate I ever tried. And I had tried A LOT of fancy chocolate.

67. Books that get your kids to think about Jesus
My first book that I received free to review is a darling little children's picture book called Our Home is like a Little Church, by Lindsey Blair and Bobby Gilles. This book is being promoted by Ministry-To-Children, a wonderful site with TONS of resources for teaching children about the Gospel and God's Word. Okay, this book doesn't get requested as often by my girls as the Big Red Barn (Margaret Wise Brown), but it always starts some good talk with my two older girls. The book is beautifully written in simple verse, presents the Gospel clearly and the importance of walking with God, and takes less than five minutes to read.

68. Another personally signed book from Karen
Another signed book I'm in the process of reading now is Two Days Longer, by Beth Lueders - "discovering more of God as you wait for Him". My friend Karen down in Colorado Springs, whom I stayed with while attending the workshop, gave me this book for my birthday - she met the author through a Bible study and got it signed for me. This will be another book I plan to devote a full post too. Let's just say pretty much every book in this list will get a post. If I ever find time.

69. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Knowing God, by J.I. Packer. My friend Heather gave this to me for my birthday (my friends know how much I love books!) What a classic! Yup, this one is also on the list for a post of its own. Oh, and I just remembered that I meant to post more about another amazing book from Heather, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, by Donald Miller. This book inspired me to set some pretty lofty goals/resolutions for this year. The year is half over now, and I need to do an update on my goals soon.


70. CS Lewis on the The Weight of Glory
Heather lent me this collection of essays by my FAVORITE AUTHOR - believe it or not I still haven't read all of his books! I loved it so much I bought the book as a gift for another book-loving friend, Nicole. I need to buy a copy for myself so I can give Heather's copy back to her! This book is SO GOOD and I planning on devoting at least TWO POSTS to it, one about the essay "Transposition" and another on the essay "Weight of Glory." I've already mentioned the book in another post about why myths appeal to us so much, using a quote from the essay "Is Theology Poetry?" All of the essays in this book are beautiful, unique, and thought-provoking as only C.S. Lewis can be.

71. Still Life, by Mary Jenson.
I heard on Chip MacGregor's blog that Mary was one of best Christian writers he'd ever encountered, and the description of her writing so intrigued me that I looked her up on-line and found this book for $.01 (plus S&H of course... but still, who could resist?) "One freckled apple on a china plate. A chipped white pitcher. A blue cloth draped in a graceful swirl. Like a still-life painting, a women's soul longs for tranquility in a busy world." That back-cover blurb was such a mix of poetry and longing that I knew at once I would love this book. It'll get it's own post, absolutely.


72. Evidence Not Seen, by Darlene Deibler Rose.
Nicole has raved about this book for years, and I finally tied her down until she promised to lend it to me (kidding). Your heart will break for this idealistic young woman as she sets off for Indonesia and Papau New Guinea with her new husband, to share the light of the Gospel - only to have World War II intervene in their plans. She spends five years in Japanese prison camps, separated from her husband, who eventually dies in prison. But her strong faith in God eventually wins over the prison camp commander. He becomes a believer! Everything about this story amazed me. Just a short snippet to give you an idea of the love and beautiful expression of Darlene:

Anyone can babble along in Pasar (market) Malay after a few week's study, but proper Indonesian is beautiful, without harsh gutturals. To hear the language well-spoken is like listening to symphony played upon the instrument of words - like enjoying a Renoir painted with a brush of fluency, a masterpiece of lights and shadows.

73. The first book my daughter locked herself in room to read.
Okay, I lied. More about books, but I'm lumping them together here as part of the gift that has been a summer reading program for my girls. Restricting the girls to just one movie a week and making them keep up with the library’s summer reading program was really hard at first. Dreamer is always quick to grab a book – but Blaze grumbles and rolls her eyes. However, three weeks into our new reading/no movie policy, I think she is finally getting used to the idea and starting to have fun. She read 54 pages of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" today, in 50 minutes!!!! A new record! She has also discovered read-a-long audio books at the library and really loves those, where she can listen to the story and read at the same time. I stopped reading out-loud to the girls for a while this spring - depression and stress got the better of me! - but I have started this special time with my kids again this summer with reading the Bible one night, and a chapter from the Lightning Thief (by Rick Riordan) the next night... then back to the Bible the following night.

74. Library fairies, talking wishing wells and teacup sail boats
 I have also been charmed by some of the picture books the girls have picked out at the library. When I’m Sleepy by Jane R Howard is about a little girl who likes to imagine curling up to sleep, cat-sized, with her kitty, or baby-bird sized in a downy nest; in a hollow log hugged by a raccoon, or tucked into a bear hug in a bear den; sleeping standing up like a giraffe or drifting through the ocean like a sleeping whale. Claire and the Unicorn by B.G. Hennessy is a story about a girl whose stuffed unicorn turns into a real unicorn and carries her into a whimsical fairytale world with a teacup sail boat, a tower sitting in the clouds, lollipop trees, a library fairy that lives in a wood with bookshelves carved in tree trunks, frogs and swans with crowns, a fairy godmother that practices magic in a pumpkin patch (making pumpkin tea pots, dresses, umbrellas, and a half-pumpkin frog, and last but not least, a talking wishing well. Oh, the imagination! The library fairy reminds me of something else...

75. Home libraries and cozy reading nooks
Writers often post pictures of libraries on their blogs. Their own libraries, or libraries they dream of! I can so relate! My ultimate dream house would have a room with high ceilings, wall-to-ceiling bookshelves made out of dark, glossy wood and full of books. There would be a ladder to reach the high shelves, a fire place, a big bay window overlooking an English-style garden with a fish pond and a fountain, and several beautiful reading nooks (plan to post more about dream reading/writing nooks and library rooms more)

I had more on this list, but this is getting ridiculously long! I'll save the rest for July's continuation of 1000 gifts. Thank you, Lord, for all your blessings.

A writers' retreat at Glen Eyrie Castle

I had the wonderful blessing of a retreat last week that was both a writers' retreat and a spiritual retreat - a perfect combination, in my opinion! And it couldn't have been in a more beautiful location (click on the pictures to see them full-sized). Glen Eyrie Castle is situated right next to Garden of the Gods, in the foothills beneath Pikes Peak. As if the natural scenery isn't beautiful enough, we were surrounded by gardens, hummingbirds, wild turkeys, and a herd of bighorn sheep.


Colorado Springs is a four hour drive south of Laramie, Wyoming, and the home of one of my dearest friends (who was my maid of honor). I could never have afforded four nights at the Glen Eyrie Castle (their rates are pretty reasonable, but still, four nights adds up!) if not for K.A.'s hospitality. Not only did she provide hospitality - but the ultimate - kid-sitting! She offered to have my daughters Blaze & Dreamer stay too so they could get lots of play time with her daughter, Lori. Truly an amazing friend to take on two of my kids in addition to three of her own, for three and a half days.


It ended up being more of a writers' workshop than a retreat, though we did get two hours every afternoon to either write, pray, or hike one of the many amazing trails. I spent one afternoon with my laptop in the rose garden (starting with prayer for God to bless my writing. Which He always does, when I remember to ask), one afternoon stream-walking up Queens Canyon to Dorothy Falls (I can never resist the opportunity to see a waterfall), and the last afternoon strolling around the grounds with Karen and the kids taking pictures.


The workshop part of the retreat was both inspiring, but also hard. The truths of the publishing world are never easy to deal with. The workshop was led by four amazing Christian authors: Nancy Rue, Kathyrn Mackel, Angela Hunt (author of the Tale of the Three Trees, one of my kids' favorite books), and James Scott Bell. I've read dozens of books on writing and publishing, have been to two writers' conferences, and I regularly follow most of the major writing, editing and publishing blogs - but I was surprised at how much I still had to learn.

Here are some quotes from the authors that caught my attention:


We write a novel to evoke emotion - Angela Hunt


Creating art is an interaction between you and God - James Scott Bell

Good writing is where precision meets passion - Nancy Rue

If even your writing never sees the light of day (publication), you can make it see the light of life. - Kathryn Mackel


They all stressed how to the road to publication is like an apprenticeship - you have to work hard and follow the rules for years, without any compensation. And there is still no guarantee. Even if you do finally get something published, the road doesn't get easier. I saw first-hand how stressful and difficult it is for a recently published author: all the work you have to put into marketing in addition to writing on strict deadlines, plus dealing with the disappointment of meager sales. God was definitely showing me that even if my writing is nearing a publishable quality, I am still not ready for publication at this time in my life: with four small children, the amount of work I would have to put into marketing, promotion and travel, in addition to writing, would be prohibitive. But at the same time, I felt like I had several significant "breakthroughs" in my story. So I came away feeling God was still directing me to keep writing faithfully and to keep honing my craft.


God had some other important things to teach me, outside of Glen Eyrie. I met one of Karen and Ed's good friends, Double D. Ed has joined a biker club called Men of Praise and his biker name is FedEx (long story) and Double D is one of his closest friends. I learned all the details of biker lifestyle ("ride it like you stole it"), what biker church is like, and and the complexities of club interactions, including the especially tricky interactions between Christian bikers and hardcore groups like the Sons of Silence! But I also learned some spiritual wisdom from Double D. We got to talking one evening and I could tell this guy had an amazing story behind his life, so I asked him to share his testimony. It was both heart-breaking and amazing. He didn't stop with himself, either. He looked at me straight in the eye and asked me if I was carrying any baggage.


Oh yes have I been carrying baggage! Anyone who has read any of my posts so far in 2010 has seen some of my baggage - financial stress and depression. There's other burdens that I haven't shared, too. Insecurities that I started to recognize via Beth Moore's excellent book So Long Insecurity - things she helped me recognize, but I hadn't come to complete terms with yet. At times I do give my baggage over to God (and sometimes I even manage to leave it with him for a few days), but somehow I keep picking it up and carrying it again. Double D told me to envision giving my suitcase of baggage to Jesus, and then to envision Jesus throwing your suitcase into the fires of hell – it’s gone. Permanently gone. Not something you can pick up again. He told me, with genuine seriousness, "it's really gone now. As of this moment. Do you believe what Jesus has done?"


His directness and earnestness took me off guard. Envisioning something does not make it so; but Double D doesn't think that way. For him, it's real. His earnest faith really made look with eyes of faith - "we live by faith, not by sight." I'm not saying I'm cured of depression or that all my financial problems will just melt away. God will never completely take away our problems because they are necessary to help us grow and become more Christ-like. But something happened that evening. Jesus did take some of my baggage and burned it so I can't take it back. Double D is going through some painful trials of his own right now, and I am praying for him. The Lord has put him through a furnace and turned him into an amazing man, and I will never forget him.

Walking by the Spirit

The following quote is the topic of discussion this week In Other Words. Please visit this week's host, Tami @ the Next Step for other writers' takes on this quote.

“Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small. The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church, but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us. It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives that will change the church.”
~ Francis Chan, Crazy Love

I haven't read Crazy Love yet, but I do have a wonderful book about the Holy Spirit, The Silent Shepherd by John MacArthur. So when I saw this week's quote related to the Holy Spirit, I looked back through The Silent Shepherd for an overview of how the Spirit works in our lives, especially in relation to the church.

The Spirit is our helper (John 14:6-7), our guarantor of eternal life (Eph. 1:13-14), our teacher (John 14:26). The Spirit regenerates us (gives us new life), (John 3:5,6,8), santicifies us (enables us to become more Christ-like), (Romans 15:16, 1 Cor. 6:11), produces spiritual fruit in our lives (Gal 5:22) - including the ability to love unconditionally and the amazing "peace that surpasses all understanding" that carries us through our struggles and hardships.

The Spirit also gives us gifts (1 Cor 12:4-11), and verse 7 tells us specifically why we are given gifts: "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." In several different letters, Paul uses the analogy of the human body to describe how relationships within the church, Christ's body, are designed to work.

Romans 12:4-5 "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."

The church is all about using our spiritual gifts and insights to help others. Unfortunately, I often show up at church with the attitude that the church is there to minister to me. MacArthur writes:

It is often hard in our isolated, individualized culture for us to appreciate the need we have for one another. It is easy for us... to get entrenched in such individual patterns that we do not get close enough to others to discover their needs. The real problem with such a lifestyle is that it often spills over into the church and affects the way we minister - or don't minster - to others.... God never intended for our spiritual walk to be an end in itself. Instead, He wants us to walk in a way that will have a positive influence on other believers and help purify and build up the church.

We must walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16) in order to use our spiritual gifts to minister to others.

Instead of blaming the church for not fulfilling its intended role, we should strive instead to fulfill our intended role - living a Spirit-filled life.

What does walking in the Spirit mean? MacArthur writes:

The Greek word for "walk" in Galatians 5:16 could be translated literally "keep on continually walking." The basic idea is that the Christian life unfolds one day at a time. Walking is therefore a very picturesque metaphor that tells us we are to live one step at a time, as a matter of habit and routine. The Holy Spirit is already in us and working on our behalf. Our task is simply to respond and submit moment by moment, step by step, day by day according to His empowering and guiding [which we become aware of through hearing, reading and meditating on
the Scripture, through prayer, and through the ministries of other believers].

One last note about the gifts that the Spirit gives us. You cannot stop in 1 Corinthians 12 after reading about the gifts, not when chapter 12 ends with verse 31: "But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way." This most excellent way is love - 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter, set right in the middle of the section on spiritual gifts, gives us all the guidance we'll ever need as we allow the Spirit to use us in reaching out to others. We should all be familiar with verse 13: "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." And here is a wonderful verse relating the Holy Spirit and love, that I discovered (or re-discovered) in the process of this study:

Romans 5:5 "...God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

I am praying for myself, for the other writers this week, and for our churches, that we would be renewed in our walk with the Spirit and inspired to a greater love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Who gets my best, my family or others?

A sentence from Psalm 101 has been both
challenging and convicting for me:
"I will walk in my house with blameless heart."
When God speaks to
me about being more loving,
this verse reminds me to make application in my
family first—and then to others.
It forces me to ask, Am I more spiritual,
More loving, or more fun somewhere else?

Who gets my best—my family or others?

from A Mother's Heart, by Jean Fleming

I have been failing miserably with my family. I try to keep it together at work, but when I get home I fall apart. Kids get snapped at for making noise. My husband doesn't get a "welcome home" or even a "hi, honey!" when he arrives.

I catch myself thinking peevishly, if I didn't have to work so much, I'd have more energy for my family. If the economy hadn't taken a nose-dive. If we hadn't made those poor financial decisions. If we'd stopped having kids at two instead four. So easy to make excuses, justifications, to say "if onlys."

I really think the Lord sent me a dream last night to wake me up to my wrong attitude. (Well, I'm pretty sure He used http://writingcanvas.wordpress.com to give me the quote, above, too).

I was dreaming I was back at the beach, and the girls were playing in the surf. The twins - three years old - just loved dashing in and out of the water. I was laying on the sand, soaking up the sun. I didn't notice that the waves were gradually getting bigger in size. Suddenly a huge breaker crashed over the twins and they disappeared in the frothing water. They aren't old enough to right themselves, even in waist-deep water, if they get knocked over and disoriented. I searched for them frantically, swimming out and diving under, but the water was too murky to see anything. I knew even if I found one of the twins in time, chances are the other one would drowned before I could find her.

Then I woke up.

I have to stop making excuses and put my family first, no matter what trials the world is throwing at me right now. Let me rephrase that. I need to put God first, so then I have the strength to put my family next in priority, ahead of my worries, my exhaustion, my short temper.

My family deserves my best, and God can help me give them my best. I can't do it on my own.

Please link back to http://writingcanvas.wordpress.com for other excellent insights into the quote from Jean Fleming's wonderful book (I really need to read this book again! It's one of those you can keep getting good stuff out of it, no matter how many times you read it)

1000 gifts: my wonderful crazy kids edition

I'm keeping a list of all the gifts God has given me that I'm thankful for, to live out the command "give thanks in all things" (1 Thess. 5:18) in my daily walk.

This part of the list is focused on my kids. I have four girls, ages 8, 5, and 3 year old twins. They drive me crazy, but they are wonderful. I wouldn't have it any other way!

(note: I always use their nicknames on the blog)

46. Cowboy dress-up day at school.
Blaze and Dreamer's school had "Spirit" week and the kids got to dress for a theme each day. The first day was "cowboy day." Here's Dreamer in her outfit. Blaze had a field trip, so she had to wear the standard uniform.

47. Crazy hair day.
Dreamer was very patient as I put at least 30 hairbands in. When I finished her hairdo, I was running out of time so I had to do something fast for Blaze

48. Homemade recycle notes on all our cans
Also at school, the girls have been learning about recycling. Blaze takes this very seriously. She taped her own little homemade "recycle" symbols on all of the cans in our pantry, to remind us not to throw them away


49. Clash day (stripes and polka dots)
Oh, the frightful outfits kids can come up with.

50. Starlet's first prayer.
One night Blaze and Dreamer and I were taking turns praying at bed time. Starlet left her room (I had already put the twins to bed) and joined us - she wanted to pray, too. She said everyone's name in our family - and then "Amen!"



51. Picking your seat.
Grandpa picking on Dreamer- he asks her "are you going to the movies?" "No" she replies in confusion. Grandpa asks, "Well, why do you keep picking your seat?"


52. Three-year old concept of age
Once I asked Starlet how old she was. "I four!" she says. I laugh and say "no, you're three." "No!" she cries emphatically. "I four! I six!"

53. Sock hop day.
I had to borrow a dress for Dreamer - we only have at least two dozen dress-up dresses, but only one fifties-style one. All the rest are Princess style (or very scary 70's prom style)



54. If my older sisters get to dress up, I want to too
Seeing her older sisters getting dressed up, Starlet also wanted to play "dress up" each morning, too. Serious ever showed a bit of interest in dressing up she just wanted her picture taken. Therefore, the picture of her in pajamas.

55. Vampirates
Dreamer went through a stage where "vampirates" were frequent characters in her make-believe games. A cross between a vampire and a pirate?


56. Learning how to swing yourself
Dreamer was so excited to show me she didn't need to get a push anymore in the swing

57. Kids singing while doing chores
Blaze sang "Oh My Darling Clementine" while emptying the dishwasher. We all need a good tune to work to.


58. Homemade planters are not the best Mother's Day gift, but I still love them.
The twins painted some ceramic mugs for me for Mother's Day and planted little petunias in them. Only problem is, they don't realize the plants are for Mom; they think the plants are theirs. And of course they are very proud so they want to carry them around (even though Mom says no). Then they set them down in some random spot, start playing, and soon knock over the plants. Soil everywhere. Three times now I've had to clean up the mess. So even though it was supposed to be a sweet little Mother's Day gift, it's ending up causing me all sorts of extra work!


Here is a picture of the four girls with all the Mother's Day presents they made me (Dreamer also decorated a pot, Blaze made a Chinese lantern)


59. CS Lewis on books and tea.
I love to collect quotes, and I just discovered a new C.S. Lewis quote that I absolutely adore, because I love books, and I love tea:
You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. - C.S. Lewis



60. Vinatge portraits of the twins.
Fifteen different poses!  my gift to my own wonderful mom on Mother's Day

Marriage, foxes and vineyards

I'll admit it right here up front: I don't want to write this post. In the past 3 years of blogging, I've only posted on marriage twice. I've written almost a whole novel on marriage, but that was fiction, -- in other words, it wasn't MY marriage, so it was fun to write about.

Now if you get me one-on-one in a coffee house with a big yummy cup of Hot Snow and a cheesecake, I'll spill the beans and talk marriage all night long. But there is something frightfully permanent about writing words down about your marriage on a public forum where any one can stop by and read. (I suppose I could change my privacy settings. But then I get to thinking, I really do appreciate when other ladies are honest about their marriages. I'll try to return the favor).

I've been married a few months shy of 12 years. I married my complete opposite, in everyway. The only two things we have in common is a love of Jesus and a love of horses. He's an extrovert, I'm an introvert. He's a risk taker, I'm cautious. I could list differences for hours but I don't want to bore you. Bottom line: it isn't easy. But I know God matched us up, that our differences strengthen each other. If I'd married a man with a similar personality as mine, we'd both be institutionalized now for severe clinical depression.

The recession has been hard on our marriage. My husband has his own business, and the work has dwindled to the point that I make more than he does at my part-time job. That's hard on him. That's hard on me. I don't like being the provider - the money I earned was supposed to be "extra" - for savings and vacations or what not. He feels, at times, like a failure. I have to keep giving him pep-talks. It's not a situation that inspires romance. Most of the time I'm too tired with working and running after the kids (though he helps with the kids ALOT) to have any energy left over for him.

The reason why I'm writing this is because it was a way to remind myself that my marriage is IMPORTANT and if I don't keep putting energy into it and giving him attention (and we all know how men most like attention), then I know the little things that stress our marriage are only going to get more troublesome, just like Solomon says that little foxes can end up ruining a whole vineyard (Song of Solmon 2:15)

I'm thankful I ran across Marriage Monday and the verse, 1 Corinthians 7:4 "The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife." A good reminder for me. I also wanted to point out - who is it that appears first in this verse? The wife or the husband? I'm thinking there's probably a good reason why the wife is addressed FIRST. With our tendency to moodiness, we probably need that extra reminder. I know I do.

A famine of hearing the Word

This is Tuesday's "In Other Words" post. If you are interested in participating, you can write about the verses above and link to other posts about it at this week's host blog.

I thought this would be a good opportunity to do a study of famine in the Bible. A few facts about Biblical famine:

1) Famine appears 84 times in the Old Testament, most frequently found in Genesis, then Jeremiah

2) Famine appears 10 times in the New Testament, referring to past famines in the Old Testament or famines that will occur in the end times, one prediction of a famine during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius, and the following verse -

3) Believers in Christ have this promise in Romans 8:35 concerning famine: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors"

4) Famine is one of four ways that the Lord punishes the breakers of His covenant in the Old Testament (see Leviticus 26:12-25). The other punishments are disease/plagues, defeat by enemies, and wild animals (such as locusts). These are all repeated in Revelation as means of punishment, along with a fifth - natural disasters. The Lord causes these disasters so that people will repent and seek Him.

5) The verses in Amos are the only time this particular type of famine is ever mentioned; also it is the last mention of famine in the Old Testament.

Here's my conclusion based on my study. We know that there was a gap of about 400 years between the last prophet of the Old Testament and the first of the New Testament, John the Baptist. This gap very likely describes the famine of the hearing of the Word of the Lord predicted by Amos. For 400 years, the Israelites went without hearing anything from the Lord. Of course they still had the written prophecies; but the prophecies about the Messiah were still unfulfilled. This famine, God's silence, was a punishment for their continued disobedience as evidenced over and over again in the books of the major prophets and the minor prophets.

After such a long famine, when a prophet finally did appear proclaiming the word of the Lord, the coming of the Messiah, they should have been very eager to hear!

Some of the Jews were ready to hear and repent, but most of them weren't. Most of them rejected Jesus when he didn't fit their idea of what a Messiah should be. It wasn't until after his death, until the Lord sent the Holy Spirit, that they began to understand (in large numbers) that Jesus really was the Messiah and that his death provided for our salvation.

Jesus is the bread of life. Matt 4:4 "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Jesus is the Word. John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

It is certainly possible to experience a famine of hearing the Word, even today - by purposefully rejecting the message of the Gospel, rejecting Christ, by worshiping the creation instead of the Creator (Romans 1:25). Though a warning of famine such as the one in Amos is not repeated in the New Testament, there are some similar warnings: Luke 17:22 "The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it." And again: John 7:34 "You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come."

Personally I've experienced a few famines of my own - when I get too busy for church, or to open my Bible on a regular basis. Eventually I get to the point where I am lonely, discouraged, feeling overwhelmed - and then I remember that I've been starving myself of the Bread of Life. I am so thankful that when I remember to seek the Word again, God does not make me stagger from sea to sea searching, and yet never finding. For believers, we have that marvelous promise in Romans 8:35-37. I am so thankful.