Category Archives: Sacred Mundane

• Packing and playing, playing and packing. Whenever I unearthed something to pack the kids exclaimed, “There’s my favorite toy! Can I play with it?!”  This makes for a fun, if not fast, packing process.  (Can you see the famed Buzz Lightyear in the picture?)
• Kids playing Bingo together, on their own.
• The — surprise! — news that we’re moving in less than a week (found that out last weekend). The quick-timing piece was perfect because it made us think outside the box, and pray outside the box. Thank you, Lord!
• Laughing that it turns out our move-day is exactly, to the day, one year from when we put our house on the market. God’s timing is always perfect, amen?
• Signing.
• Visit to our new house, “the farm” where we’ll raise nothing but kids and pray for crops of joy, rest, and peace. Although Dutch is convinced that chickens and cows are in our future. We’ll see…
• Date-night to Ikea with my man. Gotta love the Billy Bookshelves for $49.99.
• The gift of a popcorn popper from our missionary friends! It can’t go to Indonesia so we’re the lucky recipients.
• Popcorn.
• Popcorn.
• Popcorn.
• Sorry… we’re really enjoying this popper!  My favorite part is how the kids crowd around, like little hungry sharks, hands digging into the bowl, happy crunching. New favorite snack.
• Twenty pound box of local nectarines, devoured.
• Twenty pound box of local pears, devoured.
• All that food makes kids grow! Yikes, all Dutch’s pants headed to the goodwill. Thankful for the abundant resources we have, that we can buy more.
• A thousand conveniences I take for granted so often.
• Garbage service.
• Hot water for showers, baths, dishes.
• Indian summer breeze blowing through open windows.
• Glass of water by the bed.
• Shampoo that smells so good.
• Combing Heidi’s hair. I’m 5-years-old again with the most beautiful doll in the world.
• Tickles.
• These pictures. How can I not share them with the world?
• Friends who are gracious.
• Doing life together.
• Little buddies.
• Cheering for each other.
• Justification.
• Resting solely on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
• His grace.
• His love.
• His work.
• Receiving.
• So many who generously offered to come help us pack, clean, bring meals, help with kids. Grace upon grace.
• Trusting there’s good purpose in my poor mama’s broken ankle. Thankful for an amazing dad who cares for her so sacrificially.
• Puppy kisses.
• A little midnight intruder snuggling between us in bed. Happy to let him stay.
• Family date night.
• Ice cream mustaches and sticky little fingers.
• Sorting through it to find what is true.
• Holding fast to it.
• Wrestling.
• Submitting.
• Clarity.
• Peace.

• On a drive through Madras, in the pitch-black night, watching fields burned in the distance. Sky light up in red and smoke. Eerie and beautiful all at once. Death to life. Destruction to beauty.
• W-H-I-R-L-W-I-N-D week. Carried along in God’s grace.
• Sale Pending.
• Unity with my man. Neither of us have any idea what’s next but it’s so fun to be arm-in-arm and enjoying the ride together. Nothing’s as sweet as being on the same page.
• Dutch’s response to house selling — after all year insisting that he didn’t want it to sell. I told him and he lit up, “YAY! That’s so exciting! Can we move tonight?” Hahaha, thank you God for all the little nooks and crannies of your provision.
• New opportunity to write regularly for FrugalLivingNW. So excited to join the wonderful ladies over there! What a gift of grace.
• Ministry.
• Receiving, always receiving. 
• Life, the gift.
• WCC buzz about gratitude. Everywhere we turn we hear thanks. This too is grace. 
• Wednesday morning prayer ladies. They are always a gift to me.
• That He hears us.
• Again, the details surrounding the house-sale. Not what we do for Him but what He does for us. 
• Eagerness.
• Honesty.
• Humility.
• Last minute trip to Bend.
• Gospel of grace.
• Behaving completely opposite of my high-“J” temperament. I think that’s grace!
• Arriving late, 10pm, in Bend, exhausted. Kids nuzzled into mats on Nana’s floor. Jeff and I collapsing  happy into bed. Pressing my face into freshest of pillows, blankets, finding myself smiling wide as I drifted off to sleep.
• Black-out blinds + no alarm = sleep in! 
• The rare treat of a morning run with my man.
• Spending all morning at Bend’s Pirate-ship Park. NO KIDDING. It was heaven on earth for my little man.  Sunshine, 80 degrees. That was heaven on earth for my little man’s mama.
• Clean towels.
• Wood floors underfoot.
• Crepes with dash of sugar sprinkled on top.
• Fresh coffee.
• Food Should Taste Good chips. The reason I don’t have a Costco membership is because I would eat too many of those chips.
• Fridge FULL of fresh tomatoes from many gardens. So excited for that homemade marinara I’ll be making next week!
• Driving by wildflower fields. Photographer in the middle with tri-pod, capturing the wonder.
• Heidi repeating everything Dutch says, all day long. The chirping bird-song echo of our house.
• Bucket of fresh peaches.
• Dutch & I sharing.
• Juice running down chins.
• Finding my husband so handsome.
• Naps for all.
• Time to myself.
• Getting alone with God. Soul expands, breathes, lives.
• Friday run after not exercising all week. Feeling good, strong, making it more than 6 miles! That’s crazy for a wimpy girl like me. And … sore the next day. But the good-kind of pain!
• Such wonderful retreat in Bend — a gift to be removed from the house-situation. Perfect time to rest and play before heading back into the adventure.
• Opportunities.
• Charles Kingley quote from childhood coming to mind. Thank God for work.
• Rhythm.
• Grace & peace.

• Trip to the zoo with friend of 31 years. All of us into our car. Five carseats and five loud happy children. Good times.
• All five children making it happily all the way through the zoo.  Success!
• All the animals out!  Crazy otters playing, all the lions right up close, turtles pressed up to glass, both giraffes out to play. Thanking God for the kiss for my kids.
• Hearing my husband preach. Love that man.
• Two children perched on two knees. Love those kids.
• Two little hands tucked in mine.
• Friends who just love us so.
• Laid-back bday party at the park. No banners and balloons, just banana muffins and smiles.
• Preparing for Bible study. Every year wondering, “Why did I think this was a good idea?” Then seeing faces, eager hearts and thirsty souls. Love love loving the Word and God and remembering, “Ah yes, this is why.”
• Coming home after, mind mush and blissfully happy.
• Playing Legos all afternoon.
• Homemade salsa with tomatoes just picked.
• First day of jeans after summer’s heat. Love that feeling.
• My favorite kid recipe for “yummy bars”: Every random item I have in the house including 4 overripe bananas, a canister of quick oats and an entire jar of unsalted peanut butter. Mix it all together, bake for 30 minutes and voila! … “yummy bars.”
• Afternoon playing pirates in the yard. Throwing nerf soccer-ball “canonballs” at Dutch in his ship, pelting him over and over and over and him, laughing hysterically and insisting, “Again! Again! Again!”
• Whoops! Mommy pelting Heidi in the face. I really did try not to laugh…
• Hearing Dutch singing along to the worship songs even though he didn’t know the words.
• My boy in a clean white t-shirt and faded jeans. I’m biased but he’s so stinkin’ handsome!
• Mentor Retreat!
• My parents who give up their home and sleep in their motorhome so we can use their house. Those folks of mine are amazing.
• First laundry load in the dryer. I love my clothesline but there’s something about fluffy towels and sheets and pressing my face into everything warm and clean.
• Kneeling in front of the dryer, folding. Good things happen when we get on our knees.
• Kids carrying laundry baskets.
• Pulling down fresh hand-me-downs for the new season. 3T pink sweatshirts and 5T cargo pants. How did these kids get so big?
• Smiling as I survey the holiday outfits we’ve been given. Heidi will need to attend seven Christmas parties … (Just kidding! We’ll give some away!)
• Home church services. Dutch on the bench-stage, playing his guitar and preaching.
• Heidi’s prayers.
• Heidi’s first searching questions as read about the cross: “Mommy, why God haffa die?”
• Grace. 
• Veggie Tales outtakes.
• Great New Seasons SALE this week on all our favorite items! The cashier laughed at my 20 blocks of cheese, 10 dozen organic eggs, five bags of organic oats and fourteen cans of organic tomatoes but it was a steal! Fun to remind my kids about God’s amazing provision. Just when we were out of everything He provided steal-deals on our favorite foods. Thank you, Father. 
• Family Date Night. Yes, it was just pizza at the Costco food court, but our kids were in seventh heaven!
• Daddy’s day off: Picnic lunch at George Rogers park.
• These seven mentor-girls who bless my life.
• Women’s Ministry team that’s beautifully knit and feels like a comfortable sweater of friends. How blessed are we?!
• YOU. Thanks for dropping tender lines that breathe life again and again.
• Heading out to Riversong.
• Crawling inside books.
• Quilts.
• Down comforters.
• Jeans that fit just right.
• Just-washed hair that swings and shines.
• Anticipation.
• Expectancy.
• Hope. 

Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solo Christo:

The gospel is salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

{Want to join along in the book of Galatians? There’s always room for another hungry soul!}

The book of Galatians begins with a bit of backstory: The Apostle Paul was not one of the original 12 disciples, but a Jewish Pharisee, or religious person, who persecuted the early Christians, even having them put to death. He was then miraculously saved when Jesus Christ (after his resurrection) appeared to Paul in a blinding light and commissioned him to go preach the gospel to the Gentiles (non-Jews). So he did, and he traveled throughout modern day Greece and Turkey and Italy establishing churches and spreading the gospel to the whole known world.

One of the places he preached the gospel was the region of Galatia, (in Acts 13 & 14 called Pamphylia, Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Antioch. Mentioned as Phrygia & Galatia in Acts 16 & 18), to the Galatians and they believed him. They were new believers, vulnerable, and as a people they were easily tossed to and fro by different ideas and doctrines. One minute they were into this thing and the next minute they were into that. (Sound familiar?)

They were an inconstant people who changed their minds easily. They lackedspiritual discernment and steadfast determination. They lacked deep-seated convictions about divinely revealed truth, a conviction that can be formed only by careful thinking and unwavering faith in the Word of God. They were new converts with sincere desire, eager beavers who were very susceptible to believing what others told them they must do. Steadfastness is an exhortation again and again.

So after Paul had preached the gospel and left, these other religious leaders, called Judaizers came in and began telling these new believers that even though they’d received Christ as their Savior, they still had to abide by all the OT laws and continue the ceremonies and traditions of the Jewish faith.

Judaizers were messianic Jews who considered the Jewish law essential for a believer in Jesus Christ. They were Jews who made a superficial profession of Christ but turned back to Judaism and sought to make Christianity an extension of their traditional system of works righteousness. 

Galatians is an argument against identifying primarily with a certain religious tradition and a particular nation. It urges us  to be shaped by Christ apart from inherited standards of behavior or national allegiance.

Further, Galatians is a summons to be less attuned to the pressures and pleasures of our social context and more aware of the presence of Christ in our midst.

So, slowly the Galatians began to follow the Judaizers and  turned aside from the pure and simple gospel. The gist of the book of Galatians is Paul’s exhorting them to return to the true gospel and stand fast in the freedom of Christ Jesus. To identify more with the gospel of Christ than social, national pressures. It’s a challenging but refreshing opportunity to step back and ask ourselves why we do what we do. Is it an outworking of the gospel of Christ, or a cultural or religious practice to which we’ve been subconsciously tied to without knowing why?

This is a fighting epistle. Paul writes with deep emotion and strong feeling. His heart laid bare. He has on his war paint. This is the Emancipation Proclamation of Christianity. This is Martin Luther’s favorite book, the masthead of the reformation. It’s the strongest declaration of justification by faith in or out of the Scriptures. Sinners are not only saved by grace through faith plus nothing, but the saved sinner lives by grace through faith. Grace is the way to life and the way of life.

Paul does not correct conduct (like Corinthians) but doctrine. Much more severe than the former. Paul has no word of commendation, praise, or thanksgiving. The harshness and severity of this book indicates how very dangerous this subtle corruption is. At first it seems strange that Paul would have words of commendation for the worldly, divisive, immoral and immature Corinthian believers and yet have non for the saints of Galatia. (1 Cor 1:4-7). The difference was that, as bad as the Corinthian situation was, the major problem there did not pertain so much to right doctrine as to right living. In the Galatian churches, on the other hand, the very heart of the gospel was being undermined by false teachers, the gospel of grace was being trampled, and in its place was being offered the gospel of works, which is no gospel at all but a distortion of God’s truth that leads to bondage, not salvation.

He had warned them about false teachers in Acts 20:28-30. There will always be an enemy of the gospel. The world will always hate the cross, because the cross is the END of man’s self-effort, the end of pride, the end of pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps religion. The end of earn your way to salvation. The cross is central to Paul’s gospel and inextricably linked to righteousness by faith. He’ll make the argument that if we are saved according to our works then the cross is superfluous, unnecessary.

Galatians is a book of contrasts: Legalism vs. Love, Religion vs. the Gospel, Works vs. faith, law vs. grace, Flesh works vs. Spirit’s Fruit, World vs. Cross, true gospel vs. another gospel, bondage vs. freedom, Old covenant vs. New covenant.

Love is characterized by cooperation. Legalism is characterized by competition.

Legalism is the most popular substitute for spiritual living that we have in our churches today. Millions of believers think they are “spiritual” because of what they do and don’t do, who they follow and don’t follow. Warren Wiersbe says, “When the Holy Spirit takes over, there will be liberty, not bondage – cooperation, not competition – glory to God, not praise to man. The world will see true Christianity, and sinners will come to know the Savior.”

These Judaizers were legalists, they lived by the law, loved the “do” passages. Some of us can relate to that, right? Loved to read those passages and make them into lists, with boxes next to them. Numbered lists. And that way they could be checked off, right? That way they could judge themselves. That way they could count. Legalism loves to keep track. Love gives. Legalism calculates.

Paul is preaching the end of legalism and insisting that “the just shall live by faith” Habakkuk 2 is quoted 3 times in the NT: Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38, Galatians 3:11.

Faith plus law was the thrust of Judaism. Faith plus nothing was the answer of Paul.

 Living a life of faith in the gospel is a life of freedom. We’re always in danger to being either in bondage to works or in bondage to sin. That is, we are in bondage to the law or in bondage to the flesh.

John 8:36 “If the Son therefore shall make you free you shall be free indeed!”

 Galatians is the exhortation – STAND FAST IN FREEDOM. We do well to heed his words today as well…

{Thanks for reading.}

• My girl’s curls. (And sweet friend who snaps shots!)
• Falling asleep to the river’s song.
• Warm little puppy-boy wiggling in next to me at first light.
• Sunlight through leaves.
• Crunchy peanut butter.
• Sidewalk chalk on asphalt.
• Children’s feet black, running barefoot races round the drive.
• My dad’s homemade ice cream.
• Enjoying two berry seasons in one weekend — picking last of summer’s blues (and eating all six pounds fresh!), then forging through thorns into fall’s blacks, kids faces stained purple.
• Sweet  juice running down chins.
• Summer’s night, reading outside, eyes slowly straining until darkness drives me inside.
• Long talks and prayers with friend.
• Husband home.
• Coming home-home.
• No place like one’s own bed.
• Clean sheets.
• Business cards on countertops, a common sight this year.
• Opening hands wide.
• Saying yes.
• Hammerle park with friend of 31 years …
• Raw honey sweet.
• Feeling overwhelmed, but fighting for thanks, for joy.
• Meeting a new friend from of old.
• Friends who lift arms and chins.
• Prayer while the sun comes up.
• New mercies.
• A day bathed in prayer.
• A life bathed in grace.
• Visit to Multnomah seminary, kids running happy through the lawn. First time not attending or TA-ing in six years.  Jeff and I reminiscing, all the drives, visits, tests, prayers, tired tears and happy days. Both children, now running in the grass, filled me up large while I walked those seminary halls. Morning sickness followed me to class. Those  stairs, at nine-months-pregnant, were tougher than any exam. So worth it — what a blessed place — so thankful to have called it home for a bit.
• Finding a squeaky bath-toy in our bed. Someday, when the house is quiet and clean, I will miss the toys strewn. I tuck the squeaky fish under my pillow for the night.
• Family date night bed-delivery. So fun to watch our kids enjoy blessing someone. They were so happy!
• Nana visit.
• Dentist visit — not fun — but thankful that we have the resources to have dental work done!
• Afton Field Farm.
• More and more of my grocery shopping being done in honor-system garages … And my kids don’t even have to get out of the car!
• Books.
• Apologies.
• Forgiveness.
• Tomato soup dinner for aching teeth.
• Green tea.
• Feeling spent, trusting God to fill us afresh each day.
• Pounding headache, grateful for a bed and an easy mother-in-law who makes herself at home.
• Trusting God.
• Being stretched.
• Leaning in.
• Peace. 

• Nana-made capes for the kids. Dutch donning his with underwear and flying off the retaining wall. Priceless. 
• Souls identifying with Christ. Buried low in water, lifted high in praise. Church family cheering, shouting, clapping. All praise to God.
• Five dear pastors standing in the water, baptizing an entire family all at once. Knowing the love, tears, prayers these men share. Tears streaming down my cheeks. Grateful.
• Grateful to be seated at His table.
• Icy lemonade for sweaty kids.
• Water beading cold on sippy cups.
• Running through the field. Arms flapping.
• Watching my man — so proud to be his.
• Susan’s words.
• Robben’s words.
• Debra’s presence on a warm afternoon, watching pirate show and chomping apples, frozen blueberries, slices of cheese.
• Reveling in God’s provision — before we even speak He knows our need.
• Treat receipt.
• Dutch’s interpretation the gospel: “I guess we’re all kind of scallywags, huh?” Love it.
• First-ever I Belong Here class at WCC. So thankful to be a family member here. 
• Not missing this. 
• Participators.
• Getaways.
• Pirate paraphernalia. 
• Six showings in six days and still standing!
• Riversong Retreat.
• Day of work.
• Day of rest.
• Treasures hunts.
• Falling asleep to the sound of the river.
• Revisions and provisions.
• Remembering that Jesus wants the rose. 
• My dear live-life friend Danielle who let us hang at her house during showings.
• Taking the wrong car to DEQ. Opportunity to bow low.
• Daddy day.
• Eating snow peas right off the vine.
• Pulling dinner up out of the earth.
• Heidi’s surprise: A Dora t-shirt in the mail from her auntie Nikki. Heidi spinning around in circles, laughing out loud she was so happy.
• Heidi wearing the Dora t-shirt to bed.
• Heidi wearing the Dora t-shirt the next day.
• Relieved when water spilled on the Dora t-shirt so I could finally take it off and wash it!
• Heidi going through the clean laundry and finding … the Dora t-shirt. 🙂
• Heidi sitting with me silent through church. The only sound: her toots.
• Kissing her open, laughing mouth.
• Delayed gratification.
• Papa & Oma.
• Pam’s amazing story of God’s provision. God loves us SO much.
• Sacred Mundane coming along!
• Wearing Dad’s sweatshirts. What I always do when I’m here.
• Lasagna and chocolate cookies. The things I get to eat when I am here. 🙂
• Tough Boris.
• Susan Crozier.
• Our dear Compassion boy, Fiston, almost 18! What a godly young man he’s become and what a joy he’s been in our life!
• Heidi’s prayers.
• Selena’s face.
• Sarah’s hug.
• Kimmee’s voice.
• That God is always previous.
• Still underlining Ann’s One Thousand Gifts.
• Still listing out mine.
• This place that holds me accountable.
• You, who bless my life.
• Those who pray, cheer, encourage.
• Life: a grace-gift.
• Santa Clara Candi’s Jesus-trust. No one else like her and I miss her so much. But even the missing is a gift and I can see Jesus on her from afar.
• Looking close at the moments each day: He’s here! He’s here! He’s here.
• Sound of Heidi stirring.
• Inhaling her sweaty-sleep smell.
• Breathing deep all the moments of the day.
• Finishing work.
• His finished work.
• JOY.