How do you measure His faithfulness?

I have a dear friend who is striving to dig deeper in her faith...to figure out what she really believes and why she believes it. In the process, she is struggling with the ever-perplexing topic of prayer. After sharing some examples of conversations, I could completely understand why.

You see, in general, our culture has strayed from a biblical perspective on prayer. We've left behind prayer as an opportunity for worship and gratitude to the Lord and whittled the discipline down to supplication alone. In both the Old and New Testaments, God calls us to pray. Often He calls for us to "stand in the gap" and pray on behalf of others. Intercessory prayer is one of the most precious God-given opportunities to take part in His great work on earth. However, I think we've missed that God most often uses prayer to change and mold our hearts, minds, motives, and desires. Because of our genie-in-a-bottle mentality, we expect God to demonstrate His love and faithfulness through answering our requests. This "name it and claim it" approach is not new but seems to be growing subtlely in practice and popularity. (I can go into how this approach evolved from misinterpretation of several Scriptures, but then this post will become too long. Email me or comment if you want me to elaborate and explain.) Let me illustrate the problems this mentality and approach cause.

A particular FB thread shared the concern of a new mother whose baby may have some medical issues. Responses included promises that the baby would be healed because God is faithful, a statement to go and receive God's blessing of healing and that the infant would be healed, and celebration of what the doctor will tell them tomorrow at their appointment (predicting positive news.) There are some major issues here. First of all, they are giving this woman false hope. They are claiming to believe that they know best by saying that the baby will be healed. What if healing is not God's plan for this sweet infant? What if He plans to accomplish amazing things through the medical trials of the child and his parents? And is God only faithful if He heals? That seems to be the message implied.

I'll be honest in sharing that this thriving baby inside my womb has given me reason to celebrate and praise God. I feel loved because He blessed us with this miracle. And many have commented on God's faithfulness because He has sustained this pregnancy. However, would He be any less faithful if I had miscarried? Would I be any less loved if He had allowed this baby to join Him in heaven? Did He perhaps demonstrate His love and faithfulness to me even more by carrying me through our previous losses?

The truth is that God is faithful. Period. He is faithful through the good and the bad. When He answers our personal prayers, He is not any more faithful or loving than when He reveals a different path or plan. When He allows a tiny struggling infant or a cancer-stricken victim to pass away rather than be healed, He is not any less faithful or compassionate. As long as we're residents on this fallen earth, we will not understand the magnitude and scope of His purposes and plans for our lives. As singer Babbie Mason wrote in one of her songs, "When you can't trace His hand, trust His heart." Remember who God is and trust His ability to lead us through the valleys. Some of the most mature and godly Christians I know say that they grew most in their faith and experienced God most intimately when in the midst of devastating circumstances.

I don't mean to sound so negative. There is much power in prayer. By all means, people should be praying for this particular family. Praying for the baby's healing is one request. Praying for peace, wisdom, strength, emotional stability, connectedness for the husband and wife during the wait, a feeling of God's presence, determination to trust Him no matter the outcome, wisdom for the doctor...these are all requests that can be lifted up to God's hearing ears. But we MUST not forget that, as Jesus taught us to pray, we ultimately ask for God's perfect will to prevail. And we must be careful what we say to others. We absolutely do not have the authority to make promises on God's behalf. And while healing is a miracle that will no doubt bring glory to God, potential bad news tomorrow is just as much an opportunity for God to reveal Himself.

The largest problem with comments such as I shared above is that a crisis of faith can result when circumstances don't end up as we believe they should. If we claim that someone will receive healing because God is faithful, what does this say about our faith and our Lord when He doesn't choose to heal? Do you see how damaging this can be for a young believer or a curious seeker?

So my question tonight is, "How do you measure His faithfulness?" Suppress the Sunday school answer that's popping into your mind and dig deeper into your heart. What do you really believe? I unknowingly struggled with this very issue a couple years ago (read post "A Beautiful Mess" for more details), so I now know that our hearts can harbor convictions that are contrary to what our minds "believe."

I think it's so important to encourage each other by sharing our own experiences of God's faithfulness, particularly during past times of hardship. I know my readers air on the private side given my ratio of emails to comments, but I ask that you please consider publicly sharing a brief experience in your own life of when and how God was faithful, through prayers answered to our satisfaction and through realizations that His plans were above ours. When outcomes didn't fit your expectations, how did God become more real to you? I pray our testimonies will bring glory to God and hope to those who may be enduring dark moments.

Candid with an "A"

I've been working on this post for weeks. This may be alot of info to read, but I really want to share it in case it helps someone else. Since being diagnosed, I've found two other women who also have my condition. And my friend Andrea and I have marveled at the likeness of our symptoms. Both of our homeopathic doctors pretty much gave us the same diagnosis. She has been able to visit a rheumatologist, and you can read that info here. We're assuming a rheumatologist will give me the same info.

As I've mentioned in a few posts, I've had some health issues over the last few months. Actually, the issues have been going on for several years. But no doctor could piece my symptoms together into a diagnosis. A brief recap of the last few years....we discovered through visiting a GI, rheumatologist, general practitioner, and homeopatic doctor that I had developed a high gluten intolerance, adrenal gland fatigue, and random occurrences of blue hands (suggested to be Reynaud's Phenomenon). I am embarrassed to admit that I ignored the gluten intolerance because I didn't think I ate that much wheat.

Well, fast forward to summer and fall 2011. In an effort please Caroline's palate, I was making all sorts of asian noodle dishes. And I was eating them too. And within a month, I could tell that something was not right. My immune system seemed to be shutting down. Scott and I even thought I might have lupus. Here are just a few of the symptoms I experienced:

• bloating and digestive problems
• mouth ulcers called "thrush"
• yeast infections that would not respond to treatment (often one of the last symptoms to appear)
• puffy eyes and eye infections
• chronic fatigue that was worse than ever
• sadness and depression (which had surfaced in May)
• joint pain
• peeling nails
• brain fog
• memory problems
• unexplained weight gain (due to underactive thyroid)
• various other issues that would pop up

I couldn't get into the rheumatologist without seeing my general doctor first (which I didn't have time to do). In the meantime, I got an appointment with a highly recommended Christian homeopathic doctor (Dee Baudoin) who scans your body with a hand cradle scan that sends data to a computer. She was the first person in years to put all of my symptoms together into one diagnosis. I knew it all had to be connected!

The conclusion? I have a severe form of candida albicans called candidiasis...essentially an auto-immune disease. All men and women have candida albicans (yeast) naturally in their body. Sometimes it gets out of balance and you might develop a yeast infection or thrush (happens alot when nursing babies.) However, sometimes the yeast can begin growing too rapidly and begin causing major problems .Growing mostly in your intestinal track, it can trigger food intolerances, most commonly to gluten. As your body begins failing to properly digest the gluten, it ferments into toxins, causes microscopic tears in your intestinal linining, and leaks out to your body (nicknamed "leaky gut"). The main toxin is akin to formaldehyde and is the toxin that decomposes bodies after death. So essentially, your body begins breaking itself down! Hence the immune issues. Candidiasis, if left untreated, can lead to multiple organ failure, and is detrimental for people who already suffer immune issues (such as HIV patients, etc.)

How does this disease develop? It can happen after pregnancies, extreme diets, bites from ticks or insects (lyme disease), overuse of prescription antibiotics, diabetes, birth control use, etc. There has also been a connection to previous users of Acutane.

Many doctors are not educated about candidiasis or how to diagnosis it, mainly because there is no pharmaceutical drug to treat it. And medical research is driven by pharmaceutical companies. However, our obgyn specialist said that there are some theories that candida is the root of many diseases since it causes the immune system to be so vulnerable.

How to cure it? Unfortunately, this is the tough part. You can take anti-fungal antibiotics for a time. But in order to get rid of the yeast overgrowth, you literally have to starve it. So here is the list of items you must cut from your diet:

• gluten
• caffeine
• alcohol
• fruit
• sugar
• dairy

So you CAN eat meats, vegetables, nuts and seeds. But of these, you can't have:

• potatoes, carrots, mushrooms,
• peanuts or peanut butter
• cured or smoked meats or deli meat

In other words, I am starving!! And as you can imagine, it is doubly hard to eat from this limited menu when I have pregnancy cravings and aversions. Sometimes broccoli and hummus just don't cut it. On the occasions when I have cheated, I have a yeast infection within FOUR hours (and this is an ailment I've never struggled with before) and often experience other consequences as well. Pregnancy hormones actually encourage growth of yeast, so that's one strike against my healing. I am still in awe that this baby is thriving in my toxic wasteland of a body!

Here are a few links if you want more info. Many individuals feel like hypochondriacs because they experience such a vast array of symptoms. If what I've written about here sounds familiar, if numerous doctors' visits have proven no answers or relief, rest assured that you're not crazy! And there's something you can do about it.

Links:

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/213853-overview

http://www.holistichelp.net/candida-albicans.html

http://www.healthexcel.com/docs/_cand1.html

http://www.ecandida.com/candida-albicans/

So this is probably WAY more info than you ever wanted to know about me. But based on my reading and research, there are tons of women (and even men) who suffer from this disease and don't know about it. Feel free to email me if you want to discuss more. I've been discovering lots of great gluten-free products and recipes and would be happy to share!

For the Mighty and Royal

I found these sweet devotionals last week and had to share. Sweet Dreams Princess and Goodnight Warrior, by Sheila Walsh, provide a precious nightly ritual which includes a brief Bible story, a related devotion, and then a prayer, praise, or promise. While the devotions aren't very indepth or original, the wording is age-appropriate and captivates my little ones.

Just a warning that both books are almost exactly the same in that they have the same biblical stories. But they cater toward boy or girl (oops, sorry....warrior or princess) in the devotion part. The author had my son at the word "warrior." I actually like this format because I can read the story just once to both kids, and then I can spend special time with each one on the devotion. It's a great way to wind them down before bed and bring their thoughts back to the God who loves them. The difference in the content of their prayers is amazing.

Oh, and a fun little bonus....the warrior cover glows in the dark!

It Takes a Village

As an adoptive mother of two special needs children from China, I sometimes feel guilty that our kids' needs are now essentially non-existent. We went into both adoptions prepared to face the potential worst-case scenario. And we came out with our expectations blown out of the water. I still harbor hopes of going back for a little boy in the future, and I find I'm continually drawn to boys with more significant special needs. Maybe God is preparing my heart for that journey.

What I know is that there are incredible, and I mean INCREDIBLE, mothers and fathers in this world who choose to adopt children with severe needs. Needs that often require daily help, therapies, and even lifetime special care. Needs that prevent children from ever living independently or experiencing life in ways that we would deem "full." In reality, many special needs kids are more satisfied and content than we can ever hope to be. They don't let their challenges hold them back.

In reality, the true heroes are the caregivers who, day in and day out, provide, nurture, and manage physical needs as well as emotional, behavioral, and social challenges. Whether it's a mom raising an autistic child, a spouse caring for a paralytic, an adult providing for an aging parent, or a friend assisting a cancer-consumed individual, caregivers can feel exhausted, isolated, and helpless.

If you're in this boat or know someone who is, read on to learn about Caregiver Village. Also, by joining, you can select one of Caregiver Village's selected organizations to receive $1!! What a great way to make a big difference for caregivers and the recipients.

Here's a description from their site:

You can also read more here.

Family caregivers are exhausted, stressed to the point of illness and frustrated by their isolation.Caregiver Village’s virtual village creates a close knit community where caregivers can discover a sense of deep personal satisfaction – and escape – from the hard, intense work of family caregiving; while simultaneously learning how to handle their stress and building online connections with people in exactly the same situation as them.

Caregiver Village members connect with friends, participate in book clubs with celebrity authors, journal, play mystery games, solve puzzles, and learn valuable information about caregiving.

Get involved and join now!

Finding God in Pumpkins

Every year, we take the kids to a pumpkin patch. And that's usually where I grab a few pumpkins. But this autumn, I dropped into a local nursery to buy some mums and discovered an incredible variety of fall's favorite produce. From gray and pure white to ivory with orange and green accents, I was astonished by the artistry and beauty that God infuses into every little detail of nature. I feel sure you have all seen such pumpkins before, but I saw them anew this last week and felt inspired. Who knew you could find God in gourds??

Signs for the Soul

I discovered this blog today via a picture on Pinterest, and I am obsessed with this creative and artistic woman's talents and products!! Her name is Aimee Weaver, and her blog is called "My Pink Life."

I really want to order a few of these signs off of her etsy site, but I am trying to determine how many signs I can have in my home without going overboard. She also shows a tutorial on her blog of how to make the signs yourself. You may have to click to enlarge some of the images.

I especially love the line "We do real."

This last one is the lyrics to "Lead Me," a song I blogged about last month. Love it!

Which one is your favorite? I can't decide!!!

Heaven

Last night, I was with some friends while Scott was at home putting the kiddos to bed. He sent me an email with this sweet conversation:

"So, I asked Carter if he wanted to say anything to God tonight. He said yes. He then asked how people got to heaven if no one held their hands? He asked if Jesus' arms were long enough to hold his hands? He asked if he could go to heaven? He asked if God was in Heaven? He asked what did heaven look like?

I told him that to get into heaven, we had to love God and Jesus and believe in Him as our Savior. He said, "I love God."

Pretty cool conversation. Although I felt sad at then thought of Jesus reaching down and taking our son to Heaven, Carter had a big smile on his face at the idea. I know I should be happy of the thought as well - and I would be. I think I would be sad because it would mean that this world would be just a little less like heaven."

It's amazing when kids begin to grasp the concept of God and heaven. In some ways, it's difficult to explain the indescribable in terms understandable to a 3-year-old. But their little minds seem to go to places in full faith that our adult minds just can't seem to venture. I am excited (and grateful) to see where these conversations lead!

Interpretation of Dreams

Yesterday, Caroline and I discussed the potentially discouraging news that she is 97% done growing , according to doctors. And she is very petite. In the midst of the conversation, I suggested that she could pray to God for growth. In China, she often said, "When I grow up, I want to be tall." So I knew she would be brokenhearted to hear that she may only be 4'10". Since we haven't had very many discussions about God yet, I had to explain that God answers prayers and performs miracles. But sometimes He doesn't answer prayers the way we want them answered because He has a more perfect plan for our lives. However, He does care about every concern or desire of our heart. So she could pray to God, even if she wasn't sure what she believed yet, and she could tell Him her deepest desires.

This morning, she woke up and immediately wanted my attention to Google Translate. She asked whether I had ever dreamed about God. I told her that I had. And she said aloud in English, "He said.." and typed, "As long as you grow up always facing the sun." I felt goosebumps as I believe that God could very well have spoken to her. I am not sure how to interpret the dream...maybe sun was really "Son." Maybe sun was translated from "light" which is often used as a parallel to God. Either way, she seemed very encouraged.

Ironically, Carter spent last night at the lake with Grand Mary and Papa and watched "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." If only Joseph were here now to interpet Caroline's dream! For fun, what is your interpretation of her dream? How would you understand what she heard in her sleep??

"Lead Me"

First of all, a thousand thank yous for your words of encouragement and affirmation. I teared up a few times because I don't at all feel inspirational, equipped, or successful in my parenting. But on the upside, these feelings have driven my prayer life to a new level.

A few mornings ago, I heard a new song on the radio. It's called "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real. I immediately fell in love with the melody and lyrics. It's written from the viewpoint of a husband and father, but the concept also relates to the feelings and prayers we have as wives, mothers, friends, caretakers, servants, and more. The words are so real, particularly for men. I downloaded and played the song this morning for Scott, as I know he feels so much responsibility and pressure to work hard, provide for his family, love, play, and lead our family.

Here is the video from YouTube. Listen to the lyrics, and I promise you will be touched.

Angels in Construction Hats

Photo by Charissa Hanson, November 2010

We had quite a scare this morning. I was walking Carter and Grace into summer camp, and Caroline had decided to stay in the car. Holding two bags and a beach towel in one hand, I held Carter's hand with the other, and he held Grace's hand. Our trio had just taken a few steps forward to the right when I suddenly heard men yelling. Unbeknownst to be me, Grace had stumbled and fallen, letting go of her brother's hand. And when I looked back, she was on her hands and knees about a foot away from the tire of an SUV that was backing up. I lurched to grab her, and the mom suddenly saw me and braked. I was so shaken that we just bolted into the church.

When I walked back outside, I searched for the men who had yelled warnings. I finally found a group of construciton men and thanked them for alerting my attention. Whenever the 3 of us are walking in a chain, I alternately glance at the kiddos and then around us for moving vehicles. So within a couple of seconds, I would have seen Grace had fallen behind. But given that she fell so close to the car and, at the same, it was backing up, a few seconds might have been too late. I have teared up several times today thinking of what could have happened, especially given that our Sunday school class has been praying for a little girl who ran behind her father's truck last week and was run over. She was critically injured but survived and will recover in time. I thought I was being careful with all of us holding hands and moving slowly, but I realized how quickly tragedies can happen. I have given endless thanks today that my precious Grace was saved and that God used men on their work break to play a part.

Whenever close calls happen, you immediately been reevaluating your priorities. This afternoon, when Grace awoke from her nap, she crawled into my lap and cuddled with me. Periodically, she'd place her little hands on my cheeks, turn my head, and say, "Mommy look at me." For a 2 1/2-year-old, she has incredible eye contact. When she is speaking to you, she wants to have your full attention and eye contact to connect. As she looked so deeply into my eyes this afternoon, I realized she was looking for much more than a response her to exclamation about Kai-Lan's playhouse. She was saying, "Mommy, look at me. Really look at me. I am not feeling very secure right now, and I need you to reassure me."

I have honestly felt so annoyed the last couple of weeks by her constant questions, temper tantrums, sassiness, and jealousy. Today I realized that I need to get to the root of the issue and give her more attention. Simply by stopping and looking her in the eyes, I can make her feel loved and cherished. I really believe she's questioning how she fits into her momma's heart and life right now with our new addition, and I want her to know that I love her so much it hurts. It's sad that it took a nearly tragic incident to reveal all this to me, but I am thankful God knows exactly how to get our attention.

On a lighter note, I received a call from the vet surgeon this afternoon and learned that Jackson did very well in surgery today. He will spend the night there and will hopefully be able to come home with us tomorrow. This morning as we waited in the animal hospital, Jackson was shaking uncontrollably with fear. Carter, who typically antagonizes our dog, put his arms around Jackson's neck and kept saying, "It'll be okay Jackson. Don't worry." And Caroline even kept coming over to pet Jackson. He's definitely winning her over!

Thank you, thank you for all the coupon and grocery tips!!! I plan to check out all the sites tonight and make meal plans accordingly. You all are amazing!!!!!!! I think my husband is more thankful now than ever for this blog. :)

Top 12

Sorry for the lack of posts....I'll get them going again. :) Still no updates on our paperwork except that our approval (that is 2+months late) is supposedly coming this week or next. It's been a very difficult wait. But we appreciate all of your prayers...Caroline needs them more than us.

On a different note, a college friend asked me to contribute my Top 12 to a great site called "Domestic Ease." Click here to read my top 12 ways to kickoff Spring, and have fun browsing the site. Great ideas and articles!

Interpretation

I know not everyone will get this, but it was too funny not to share.

Last night, Carter was picking out a book to read before bedtime. He selected one and declared that the title was "Praise the Lord!!" I had never seen or heard of this book before, so he turned it around to show me the cover. This is what I saw...

What makes it even funnier is that our church would not be characterized as particularly charismatic. So it's not like he sees this all the time. I love that his interpretation of this ape's pose is that he's worshipping God! :)

Carter...thank you for pointing me to the Lord when I'm least expecting it!

Mercies in Disguise

I just saw a facebook post by my college friend and roommate, Rebekah, about Laura Story's latest song "Blessings." She typed out just a few lyrics, and the words gripped me. I immediately went to itunes to download the song, and I've been sitting here listening to it on repeat for at least half an hour.

I feel like I've always been pretty transparent on here, for better or for worse. So I'll share that I've felt a tiny bit empty lately. Judging by the events of the last few months, I shouldn't feel this way. We moved to a beautiful new house, I landed my dream job (part-time), my relationship with my kids has become even better, my husband loves me despite my many flaws, and we all anxiously await our trip to China to make Caroline a part of our family. But while life seems good, I ache for God.

What this song made me remember is that I have been closest to God, and I've had my richest moments with Him, when I've been on my knees in pain and tears. When I'm comfortable with how everything is going, I tend to pull back and think I can do it on my own. This is very common, I know. And that's why I wanted to share this song with you. If you're going through a hard time, I hope it will be encouragement. If thinks are going well, I hope you'll be ready to embrace the next trial as a mercy in disguise. And most of all, I pray that we would just know our Lord and Savior more intimately every day.

Here are just a few of the lyrics...

"What if Your blessings come through raindrops. What if Your healing comes through tears. What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near. What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise..." "What if my greatest disappointments.... or the aching of this life... is the revealing of a great thirst this world can't satisfy?" -Laura Story, "Blessings"

Rebekah gave birth to her 3rd son prematurely last year, almost losing her life in the process too. Mills died six weeks later. She and her husband survived devastating grief and loss, and yet they have such incredible testimonies of God's presence and healing. You can read about it here.

I certainly don't wish to pray myself into a trial. But I guess this song brought a fresh recognition of the significance of hard times, and I realize the need to to be on my knees even when I don't "have" to be.

"Blessings" to all of you....

Calling All Single Men...

I admit... I am far-removed from the dating scene. But after a close friend shared that her latest suitors have been communicating and planning almost solely by texting, our group of girlfriends knew this social faux pas had to be addressed. I say the following statements with the utmost respect for the male sex and in hopes that men following this cultural trend will discover what a huge turn-off it is and adjust their tactics accordingly.

Men, here's where I need your attention.

We know it's tempting, but texting is absolutely NOT ACCEPTABLE for:

• asking women out
• DTR talks (is that still a current acronym??)
• or breaking off a relationship

Yes, we recognize that it can be nerve-wracking and humbling to ask a girl out on a date. In fact, many of us women don't think we could do it! But think of this: men have been asking women out for centuries without the aid of an electronic device to protect their egos. A phone call, or even better yet... an invitation face-to-face...goes a long way in our books. Please don't let courage, chivalry, and respect die with the times. These qualities are some of the reasons why we love you.

As a sidenote, texting IS okay (and appreciated) for flirting, sweet compliments you know we'll want to read and reread, and other such words of encouragement or humour.

Will the real men please step forward?

We believe in you! :)

Sincerely and warmly yours,

Grace's Dedication

This morning, Grace was dedicated to the Lord at our church. Here are a few pictures...

After I got Grace dressed, Carter said, "That's not a good bow. It's too big. Mommy, that bow is too big for Grace." :) I admit, it's a tad bigger than what she normally wears. He's very observant. He also informed me that Grace wanted milk with her cupcake. Lately, he's been looking out for her a lot. Sweet big brother! He's really stepping into his role.

We celebrated with our families after the service and enjoyed brunch and strawberry cupcakes. Yum.

Grace and Aunt Coco

Each set of parents is asked to select a special verse for their child's dedication. We chose Isaiah 30:18.... "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice, blessed are all who wait on Him."

Today, we made a commitment to love Grace unconditionally and model the love of our Heavenly Father. We vowed to provide a Christ-centered environment in our home. And we prayed that God would equip us to train up our daughter to love the Lord and walk with Him. A sweet friend commented that Grace may have never come to know God, or at least be dedicated, if we hadn't adopted her into our family. The thought hit me hard and made me so grateful that He entrusted Scott and me with this precious little girl!

More pics and updates to come from Labor Day, Grace's trip to the ER, and their first week at school! Stay tuned! :)

God of the Ordinary

On our flight home from China, I told Scott I was craving normalcy and routine. After weeks of anticipation (and anxiety) before our trip, and a long 17-day adventure across the world and back, I was ready to become a family of four and embrace the daily grind. Simple tasks like laundry, driving Carter to Mother's Day Out, and grocery shopping seemed refreshingly simple.

It didn't take very long after arriving home before I began dreading the chore of folding clean clothes. And resenting the number of times I have to scrub our kitchen table and booster seats in one day. And feeling drained trying to create new ideas for fun and entertainment for two toddlers.

The other day, I suddenly recalled a series of devotions I read in one of my seminary classes. I pulled out Devotional Classics edited by Richard J. Foster, and found the highlighted wise words penned by Kathleen Norris. Here are some tidbits I've pulled from her portion in the book:

"And it always seems that just when daily life seems most unbearable, stretching out before me like a prison sentence, when I seem most dead inside, reduced to mindlessness, bitter tears or both, that what is inmost breaks forth, and I realize that what had seemed 'dead time' was actually a period of gestation. It is a quotidian mystery that dailiness can lead to such despair and yet also be at the core of our salvation."

"Each day brings with it not only the necessity of eating but the renewal of our love of and in God."

"What we do of necessity can drag us down, and all too often the repetitive and familiar become not occasions for renewal, but dry, stale, lifeless activity. When washing dishes, I am no better than anyone else at converting the drudgery of the work into something better by means of playful abandon."

"The contemplative in me recognizes the sacred potential in the mundane task."

"Repetition is both as ordinary and necessary as bread, and the very stuff of ecstasy."

God gives us work to do. And whether it's at home, in an office, or even on the mission field, the work often involves repetition. Sometimes He's inviting us to play. Other times, the mindlessness of the task frees us to worship Him in the midst of our business. There are moments in the day when I long for leisure time that is all to myself. Freedom to curl up and read a book. Or catch up on blogs. Or watch Tivo'd episodes of my favorite shows. And then I am reminded that motherhood is my job right now. That's not to make it sound technical. Being a mother, and staying home with my kids, is a joy and fulfilled dream. But there are duties that come with the package...changing diapers, disciplining, cleaning up toys, preparing food for hungry mouths. Not to mention the sacrifice of self-denial. You can't always sleep, eat, or play when you want to.

When I want to escape from those responsibilities and mundane tasks for something more exciting or fulfilling, I have to remind myself that this work is just as important. When I feel like I must be missing my calling, that I can't possibly be impacting the world for Christ while scrubbing dishes in the kitchen sink, He whispers to me that He created this assignment for me. And He delights in revealing Himself to me in the ordinary. As Richard Foster notes, "If we fail to sanctify the ordinary we will be leaving God out of a large part of who we are and what we do."

As I reread the thoughts of Kathleen Norris, I was encouraged to embrace the mundane this week and find Him in those moments. In this season of my life, God has called me to be a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers. The days can be long. The work can be exhausting. The chores can seem endless. The time not my own. But when surrendered to Him, the rewards can be big. We don't have to search in a church service, in a Bible study, through a praise song, or at a big spiritual retreat to find Him. He can be found in every simple and common thing we do.