Home Sanctuary

Company Girl Coffee 10.30 and the Announcement

I did not mean to tease you with my "announcement" of an announcement last Friday, honest!  As a result of technical issues that were beyond anyone's control, things got a little bit behind schedule.  So rather than a big drum roll, I'll just tell you my news and then let you know when it will actually happen.

Many of you are familiar with my dear friend, Priscilla Shirer.  She is an amazing Bible teacher who speaks to thousands of women every year at Deeper Still and Going Beyond events, and teaches the Bible through DVD studies for women.  Yeah, that's her.

Well, Priscilla and I have been friends since she hired me to paint her baby's nursery about 8 years ago.  We started talking....and talking...and something just "clicked!"  Since then, we've been through births of babies, first schooldays, graduations, countless chick movies and most of the local restaurants together. We are now neighbors and can walk to each others' houses, how cool is THAT?  Our friendship has been a true gift from God..and I will write more about that soon.

But the announcement is this:

I will be blogging for Priscilla's new website when it is launched!

Now, she will blog as often as her schedule permits, so you will get to read her thoughts and adventures..which will be awesome!  Priscilla is the mom of three young boys, so you can imagine how full her life is sometimes!  I'll be helping her with the technical side of blogging, and filling in the rest of the time.  I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!

I'll let you know when the launch happens, and I will invite you to come along and give Priscilla a warm Company Girl welcome to blogland.

In the meantime, if you live in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area, I want to invite you to a live videotaping of Priscilla's latest Bible study, "Jonah."  It will be done over three nights, Nov. 2,3, and 5 at Trinity Church in Cedar Hill.  Doors open at 6 pm, the event is free, and you can come to one or all of the evenings.  It is a chance to get GREAT teaching packed into 3 nights, AND experience a behind-the-scenes look at a study that will bless thousands of women.  I'll be there each night and I would LOVE to see you there!

Today is a perfect day to link up for a virtual cup of coffee!  Simply enter your URL into the form below to invite women to your blog to visit, or you can leave a chatty comment if you are not a blogger.  Don't forget Today's Small Thing in the next post...time to turn in your points!

Turn in October Points!

Today is the last weekday of October, so that means it's time to turn in the points you earned doing the Small Things for a chance to win prizes!

If you are new to Home Sanctuary, it's very easy to catch on.  Each day that you do a Small Thing on the day it is assigned, you earn points.  Jot down your points on a piece of paper or on a Tally Sheet that I provide at the beginning of each month.  Then, you add them up and turn them in.  SIMPLE!

Let's review the prizes:

The Most Points Winner will receive three free books from Shutterfly.  This is just what you've been waiting for: a chance to turn your photos into beautiful keepsakes or gifts.  Just in time for Christmas.

 

The Random Drawing Winner will receive Edna Ellison's Friend to Friend Study of Philippians.  This is a fantastic study that you can do alone, or with a friend!

All you do is this:

1. Email me with your point total OR a note saying you want to be entered into the Random Drawing.  You do not need to have participated with the points in order to be entered in the drawing.

2. Leave a comment, telling us which Small Thing was your favorite this month!  This is a great way to share, plus it helps those girls who are sitting on the fence trying to decide if they should participate or not, to JUMP IN!

POINTS: 30 points, good toward October's total

October's Verse: a Prologue

I fought this month's verse almost as much as the Quarry verse, maybe because it's so personal.  But in the end, I decided that since this blog is about sharing where I'm at, and because I've never pretended to have it all together, I realized I should go ahead and share my spiritual journey. Even if it's not that pretty.

A couple of months ago, I found myself at home late at night, completely alone.  It was one of those times when you can really CRY over something and not feel embarrassed or inhibited.  And I was bawling my eyes out over our desperate business crisis: the cancellation of several projects had left us with no income and nothing on the immediate horizon.  It had caught us so unaware, so unprepared, and I was in a state of panic and anger and frustration. Also, terror played a minor yet significant role.

I could not believe that we'd worked this hard, this long, only to fail. Where was the justice in all this?  For someone who avoids crying, these cries came from the depths of my toes, and these were not the pretty, gentle tears of mild disappointment. Oh no, these were torrents of bottled up emotion.

I don't know how long I was sobbing, but finally, in sheer desperation, I grabbed my Bible.  I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep in this state, so I might as well read something.

I opened the Book and I could barely see through my tears as my eyes fell on Micah 4:9.  The words shot right off of the page.

"Why do you now cry aloud?"

Oh, I wish I could act this out for you because I literally choked on my sob. Waaah-huh? I wiped my face and blinked my eyes and re-read it:

"Why do you now cry aloud?"

I froze and looked around the room, moving only my eyes.  I knew. 

God had showed up to speak to me in that moment.

Then I read the next line:

"Have. You. No. King?"

I can only describe the next moment as a rush of answers, flooding me like a river. Exposed, humbled, ashamed, I could only close my eyes and confess that I have been living like I have no King.  No ruler. No one to watch over or care for me.  I've been acting like a nomad, wandering about, making my own decisions, and becoming a warlord of my own kingdom.

In truth, I've set my own self up on the throne of my heart.  I've expected provision to come by my own hand. I've cherished my own self above the King of kings.  I've put my own thoughts, my own desires, my own ambitions first. And this had nothing, and everything, to with our financial struggle.  The question cut through to the heart of the whole matter.

Have you no king?

In that same moment of realization, I knew that Jesus alone should be my King.  And that by the very act of confessing it, I was putting Him back on the throne of my life.

But it hit me that I didn't know a whole lot about Jesus as King.  And that's when I began to meditate on His Kingship.  His kingdom.  His reign over me.  What it means to be in submission to a King.  I've whispered "Jesus, YOU are my King," a thousand times in the last few weeks. Jesus, BE my King.

So I've embarked on a journey to discover Him as King, and I wonder if you would join me today? The Christian faith might be new to you, but I want to encourage you to take a small step with me.  If you are searching for answers, they can be found in the pages of the Bible and the King who is revealed there.

This month's verse is in the next post.  Grab a cup of coffee and read on.

Zechariah 9:9

 

Today's song, "You Are my King," by Newsboys is perfect for this post. Click "play" to listen!

I've found that the Bible has a lot to say about Jesus being The King. Zechariah 9:9 is a prophecy, given about 520 years before Christ, and fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey just before the Passover.  I love the words of this verse, and the undercurrent of excitement you can feel as you read it.

"Rejoice greatly!" reminds me of I Thessalonians 5:16's command to "rejoice always."  Well, rejoicing was the furthest thing from my mind on the night of the Big Cry. But imagine being liberated from the tyranny of a dictator, i.e. the chains of sin and defeat, and WELCOMING a triumphant king!  You have been freed from the sins of your past, and the bondage of slavery, defeat, and failure.  Shout, girl! Your King comes to you.

"See, your King comes to you," is saying, "Look up! Pay attention! SEE!" When your head is bowed down under the weight of your burdens, you can't see that your salvation is on its way.  That night, I was so busy boo-hooing that I was missing out on the greatest scene in the world: Jesus coming toward me to take control.  I want to be in a place of expectancy to see my king riding in...not looking down at the ground and miss the whole thing. 

And I love how the King is coming to ME. To US.  Sometimes it feels like I'm chasing after Him, when the reality is that HE is coming my way.  The battle has already been won and now I'm welcoming his victorious reign in my life.

"Righteous and having salvation."  A righteous king rules with justice, and I can rest under His rule knowing that He will make all things right in the end.  I may experience "unfair" things in life, but I can trust that He ultimately holds my destiny in His hands.  His salvation has brought me out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light.  That's a fancy way of saying He saved me from a really rotten existence into one that's amazing and eternal!

Now, I promise that I did not choose this verse because it features a donkey!  But the donkey here is significant, not only because Jesus fulfilled this prophecy literally, but because a king riding on a donkey would be a ludicrous sight!  Why, his feet would almost drag on the ground as the lowly beast of burden carried him along!  A king on a donkey clearly shows that He comes in peace and gentleness.  He is down at the level of the people, where they could touch Him and speak to Him, not up on a high horse or imposing chariot. Jesus took the humblest of creatures to make His triumphant entry.  So typical of Him. He tenderly leads, carefully rules, and graciously uses the lowliest for His glory.

What a King.

When the question "have you no King?' rocketed through my heart, I hadn't spent a whole lot of time thinking about the answer beforehand.  I'd sung the songs and spoken the words, "you are my King," without my heart fully understanding what it even means to HAVE a King.  Now, as I begin to comprehend His greatness, it is a whole lot easier to submit to Him.  Why hang on to my own puny lordship, when the King of all kings gently waits for me to step aside and let Him rule?

Today's Small Thing is to print off (or post up) Zechariah 9:9 and put it where you can see it.  That's it.

Download Zech9.9

But would you take it one step further and leave a comment about our King?  I've made several observations about Jesus as King today.  Now, it's YOUR turn.  Scripture is full of direct and indirect references to the King.  I'd love to hear your thoughts, meditations, or discoveries today!  Try doing a search and then share what you find.

LOOK UP and SEE! Your King comes!

POINTS: 40 for posting Zechariah 9:9 somewhere

Don't Act Your Age

On Sunday, we were invited to a lovely Celebration of Fall outdoor lunch by my Lagniappe neighbors.  The weather was spectacular, the Cajun food was delicious, and the volleyball game that followed lunch was relaxing.

That is, until my team was down 14-3.

Suddenly, all my JV Volleyball Issues from 9th grade came to the surface and I. wanted. to. win.

This would be a good time to sing a version of BudLight's Real Men of Genius, "Mr. Overly Competitive Touch Football Game Player."

We could call it "Miss Overly Competitive Backyard Volleyball Game Player."

Yeah, that would be me.  Want proof?

I got it, I got it!

Lefty serve.

Dive #1. I can get up by myself, really.

Oof! Dignity's overrated.

Dive #2. That's gonna leave a mark. I can't feel my leg.

I managed to limp away from that friendly game with my first-ever sports injury: a sprained ankle.

But it was sooooo worth it.  We came back to win 16-14.

Today's Small Thing is to do something you really "shouldn't" do because you're too "mature.".  Like play volleyball in 2-inch heeled boots for the fun of it.  Like paint your fingernails blue. Or sing karaoke on 80's Theme Night.  Go ahead: dance in the rain, watch cartoons, eat Lucky Charms, go barefoot, play in the leaves.

Just for once, don't act your age.  Kick up your heels and do something a kid would do...and if you're in doubt, grab a kid and make him do it with you!

POINTS: 50 fun points for finding the kid in you.  Show your children you still know how to have fun!

It's So Draining

Today's Small Thing takes on a ring of ne'er-do-wells.

We are going to take care of the household area that gets spat upon and sullied by the local dirt.  Its motives get twisted and its surface spotted with residual scum.  It CAN be the model of sparkling purity, but most often it is the poster child of family indifference.

Of course, I'm talking about the bathroom sink.

A swift swab of the sink with an abrasive cleanser and a fast wipe of the faucet will whip that receptacle of disgrace into a shining bowl of honor.  I love washing my hands under a gleaming faucet and seeing the suds go down a slick sink without sticking to toothpaste and grime.  It gives me smiley-soul.

POINTS:  Ooh, how about 40 if you do ALL the bathroom sinks and faucets at your house?  If you miss one, just take 20 points.

Are your household cleaners in a handy location?  Make your life easier by stocking up and then putting them where you actually use them!

Hunter Gatherer

Sometimes I think we aren't all that far removed from the fabled hunter-gatherers of prehistoric times.  True, we aren't bringing home a brontosaurus for dinner, but we still spend a bunch of time "hunting and gathering" in modern ways.  And we don't even have to leave the house to do it!

Laundry is one H&G activity that has been going on for millennia. I think mothers have always asked why they must hunt down missing footwear and gather skins from all corners of the cave!  I'll bet they were frustrated at trying to match cheetah tops and bottoms, accessorize outfits with saber tooth necklaces, and fold bearskins neatly.

And the working woman is nothing new.  I think those tough ladies knew how to bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan...over an open fire.  The advantage they had over us is that they didn't have to shave their legs and look sexy while they were at it.  In those days, a hairy leg was a thing of beauty, second only to a fuzzy armpit.

I was born in the wrong era.

Today's Small Thing is to do some hunting and gathering.  You are probably already doing it and don't even realize it!

• Gathering receipts to balance the checkbook.
• Gathering up laundry, hunting for matching socks.
• Gathering dishes from all over your cave and bringing them to the kitchen.
• Hunting for the winter clothes.
• Bargain hunting.
• Gathering food for your brood of Neanderthals.

Can you think of a Hunting/Gathering activity to do today?

POINTS: An easy 40 for a primitive task of your choice!

Question: would you rather be Betty Rubble or Wilma Flintstone?

OH YEAH!  My "announcement" will have to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday...it wasn't quite ready for today.

Company Girl Coffee 10.23

Please tell me it's not Friday already!  After last weekend's women's retreat, this week somehow blew past. 

I'm so excited because we are getting a brand new bed today!  Girls, you know your bed is BAD when you value SLEEP over sleeping TOGETHER....my husband has had to sleep in the guest room for his back's sake for several months.  Which is weird.  Kissing each other good night in the hallway and then shuffling off to separate rooms is just...sad. 

Tonight, the lonely Old People will be reunited once again.  In comfort.

I am beside myself with joy!  I think I'll wear my pajamas all day so I'm ready when the delivery truck arrives.

Link up for a virtual cup of coffee below!  It's a fun and easy way to make some new friends by inviting people over to your blog to visit.  Simply fill out the little form with your blog post URL and that's IT!  Voila!  Then try and hit as many blogs as you can over the weekend.  Don't forget to read the comments because that's where our non-blogging Company Girls chat!

There is no Small Thing today, due to my lack of planning around a very late hockey game last night and a full day starting early today.  Sorry about that, girls!

Please be sure and stop by on Monday for a very cool announcement! In fact, now would be a great time to click on that little "RSS" link in the right sidebar so you can subscribe to my blog posts every day!  That way you'll never miss a Small Thing OR my announcement on Monday!  Yay!

Thank You Note

I've had "Write Thank You Notes" on my list of things to do for several days now.  It seems like doing this nicety is a task that gets slipped from one day to the next...one week to the next...until it gets forgotten.

I'm really trying to turn over a new leaf in the Thank You Note Department.  It's just not something I've been consistent in over the years.  Oh, I'm pretty good at making a Thank You Phone Call, or sending a Thank You Email, but the actual put-a-stamp-on-it-and-put-it-in-the-mailbox action?  Not so much. And that's kind of a shame because a hand-written note in the mail is still the best way to express true appreciation.  Everyone loves to get something in the mail!

Today's Small Thing is to write a Thank You Note.  Maybe you, like me, have someone you've been MEANING to thank for a long time.  Or maybe you could write a small note to your pastor for Pastor Appreciation Month.  You could jot a few lines to your husband or child for being a special part of your life, or send a card to someone who has shown you kindness recently.

Writing a little Thank You Note doesn't take much time, but it sends a meaningful message.  You don't have to have the perfect words to say. Simply express your appreciation and seal it with love.

POINTS: 40 for writing one Thank You Note (on real paper)

BONUS POINTS: 10 each for each additional note you write, limit 10 extra

Who will you thank today?  I will thank Melissa at Seven Matters for sending me a CD of her husband's message!

Spork!

Someone was really thinking when they came up with the idea of a spork.  It's the eating utensil that combines the spearing capability of a fork with the scooping capability of a spoon. The darling of airline food service, backpackers, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (oh sorry, "KFC"), the spork is a model of efficiency and cost savings.

Today's Small Thing is to do some sporking of your own.  Actually, you'll get to take the rest of this week to work on this one, because it will take a little bit of creativity.

The idea is this:  see how many ways can you combine tasks to be more productive, and save time and money.  It's not so much multi-tasking as it is pre-planning.

Here's what I mean. 

• Do you find yourself running errands almost every single day?  Plan just one or two errand days and combine your jaunts to make fewer trips.

Side note:  When my kids were younger, I found that I needed at least 2 days a week that I did not go anywhere in order to get things done.  I realized that I was running errands out of sheer boredom (and lack of planning), and a "quick trip" to the store would eat up most of a day.  No wonder I was bogged down! 

• Maybe you could chop vegetables for tonight's meal AND tomorrow's meal.  Great combo.

• Make scouring your sink part of finishing up dishes.  Really, it takes less than a minute.

• Do you exercise by taking walks?  I don't, but if I did, I would download a book, scripture or sermon onto my ipod to combine improving my health with getting smarter.

• Teach your children to combine playing with picking up.  This is the best kind of spork EVER.

Combine discipline with love, good food with good conversation, cleaning with music, and napping with a soft pillow.  Schoolwork with encouragement, chores with rewards, and picking up with straightening.  Your man might even like to try sporking with you, but I'll let you figure that one out.

See?  Sporking is fun! 

POINTS: 50 for using at least three ways to spork this week!

Feel free to share your ideas!  Help us spork!