Thanks for your feedback on the last post
(both here on the blog and by email). I am certainly not an expert or
an authority on any matter (except on how to be an oafish cheese
pocket), so I heartily welcome and value criticism, suggestions, etc. I
don't *love* it, but I need it.
If our chief purpose is to glorify God and to be conformed to the
likeness of Christ, then what a fortunate opportunity we have when
opposition comes! The fool plugs his ears and assumes he's always
right. I don't want to be a fool. I may be a twinkie, but I
certainly don't want to be a fool. Any criticism is useful if it
causes us to examine our lives and speech in accordance with the Word
of God.
When geo and I first were married we went thru seven years of the worst
kind of trials. Sin from before we were saved brought ongoing
consequences, I had lost a son when he was an infant (yes, I am
actually a mother to seven children — eight if you count the
miscarriage when I was fifteen), a flood that took all our possessions,
family death, an excruciating betrayal from a child that we had taken
into our home and raised for several years, the theft of geo's business
that brought poverty, bankruptcy and foreclosure, years of lonliness
when he worked 16 to 18 hours a day outside the home, and eventually I
also had to leave my kids and work outside the home, fatigue,
exhaustion, church splits, ten different moves, continual broken
vehicals, debt up to our eyeballs, judged harshly by many friends whom
we had trusted dearly, health issues that became debilitating,
etc.
I have learned several things from those 'cursed' years. It is this….We are dust; we are “owed” nothing.
Any gift, any small thing that is good, is to be cherished and never
expected. Destruction and ruin may come to us whether we think we
deserve it or not (sometimes we do deserve it when it is brought byour
own doing). And prosperity, friends and blessing may come to us
whether it is our doing or not. Nothing is certain.
Neither being praised nor being despised by our fellow man will last
forever. So I hold all things lightly but take all things
seriously if it concerns my relationship with my Lord. Being
Praised or Scorned is entirely temporal. In either case, we are
fools if we let either fashion our relationship with God. Ultimately, it is His
opinion alone that should concern us. So it is my determination
to use anything brought my way to grow in Him and grow closer to
Him. We DO worship a loving and faithful God and He will never
leave me nor forsake me.
So that is my very long post for today. Anyhow, we are all
getting the flu here (yipeee!) so I am going to take my headache and go
back to bed.
|
on November 9th, 2005 at 4:31 pm
Well said…
…and amen.
I will admit to usually having my focus wrong, but if we are focused on Him, the rest doesn’t matter.
Praise me, abuse me, whatever. Have I been glorifying God today? Then I’m okay with the rest.
on November 9th, 2005 at 5:10 pm
Untitled Comment
Great post Jen, thanks for being so transparent and sharing about your trials…it’s easy sometimes to read other peoples writings and think they have it all together. We often don’t realize that first off things aren’t always what they seem and second, even if they seem put together it’s because they have been refined through much fire to get to that point.
Anyways, thanks for sharing and hope your headache goes away “supersonic, lickity split” as my six year old likes to say!
Kelly
on November 9th, 2005 at 5:19 pm
Untitled Comment
It sure puts things in perspective when we sometimes get a glimpse of the “gritty” details of our lives, and how thankful I am that His mercies are new EVERY morning. Thanks for being real.
on November 9th, 2005 at 5:20 pm
Untitled Comment
Good post, Jen. Real life, in ALL it’s moments (not just the selected ones) is rarely very pretty, but the silver that comes out of the Refiner’s bubbling pot always is.
Molly ( from http://ChoosingHome.com/blog )
“Take away the dross from the silver and there comes forth a vessel for the smith.”
on November 9th, 2005 at 5:55 pm
Albino deer taste good too…
Thanks for posting a comment onmy blog. My wife says that I’m supposed to go back and read peoples blogs and tell them thanks after they comment on mine.
I had no idea there was so much protocol in the ol’ blogosphere. I have so much to learn.
Thanks Again, – -Tony
PS) That really is an albino deer in that picture.
on November 9th, 2005 at 6:08 pm
Learning as I go
Well leave it to me to leave a comment BEFORE reading the blog. Sorry you’ve been through so much, but glad to see it’s made you stronger.
Whenever I feel like I’m going through tough times and things aren’t going my way I always go back to one of my favorite verses. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Actually verse 9 says it all….”My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Good Blog!
Take Care — Tony
on November 9th, 2005 at 6:23 pm
Untitled Comment
I can’t say that my list of ‘been throughs’ is as extreme, but its pretty good, nonetheless. Its amazing how God brings us through these things to come to the same conclusion. OK–take everything you want from me–nothing matters, but my faith in God and you can’t take that!
I hope the flu is short lived at your house! And I still SO want to meet y’all.
on November 9th, 2005 at 7:20 pm
thank you…
…for your many reminders herein. Crying real tears here…this is so completely in line with what the Lord’s been working in my life, especially recently.
– now see, that’s THREE times you’ve made my week this week. HOW do you plan to top THIS next week?!?!? 🙂
on November 9th, 2005 at 7:29 pm
<i>Untitled Comment</i>
Love and kisses to you for being a real person instead of a big, phoney, "church lady". Someone who loves the Lord for real is so much more interesting. You are a sweetheart. Can't tell a goat from a Llamma, but…I guess we can still be related. Did you know we have birthdays 2 weeks apart? Another similarity is that we are also getting sick here. Virus spreader. My head hurts too.
Feel better soon dearie. Tell Gena to take care of you.
Edited by Dalyn on Nov. 9, 2005 at 5:32 PM
on November 9th, 2005 at 7:55 pm
Amen, amen, amen!
Sounds like you changed your blog title too soon.
How cool to hear you are sick! Enjoy it!
~your friend who is praying for you during this time when you seem to be bombarded on all sides
edited to say: I KNEW you were getting sick. creepy, huh?
Edited by CAgirlwithasoutherndrawl on Nov. 9, 2005 at 5:56 PM
on November 9th, 2005 at 8:14 pm
Untitled Comment
Thanks so much for posting this. I am sorry you have had to deal with so many trials and tribulations. If it helps, you can take comfort in knowing that we lead parallel lives—in neighboring states.
YOU are an amazing person, a great friend, and truly a blessing to us all!
on November 9th, 2005 at 9:19 pm
Untitled Comment
(((HUGS))) I love reading everything you write. You are a blessing to me. I hope you are feeling better soon. You have to be better by next week, you know!! I’m extending the same offer to you that I did to Eleanor. I will make you a big pot of my yummy fix-you-right-up chicken soup and homemade honey wheat bread. You just have to agree to wash your hands every 30 seconds and wear a mask so my crew doesn’t get sick. 😉 Seriously, hope you are better soon.
on November 9th, 2005 at 11:47 pm
Untitled Comment
Even in the cursed years, God can be glorified. I am so sorry that you’ve had such troubles in the past Jen, but what a true blessing to actually learn from them and grow closer to God. I don’t think that you’d have the great spirit that you do (and no, I’m not talking about Casper the friendly ghost type of spirit…you know what I mean) without having gone through some trials in your life. I’m glad you were able to come out on the other end of those intact and a real blessing to so many others!
Love,
Marshie
on November 10th, 2005 at 12:56 am
Jen, once again you have touched my heart….
Your writing is so *real* and so very vulnerable and honest. When I named my blog site “Through It All,” that name was for a lot of reasons. And many of them are ones you touched on in your blog today. I admire you for being willing to be transparent, and show the good, the bad, and the ugly, in order to help others focus on just what is truly important in this life–our walk with the Lord. Nothing else is of real value.
I hope that I will be able to open my life up in my writing as you do. I’m sorry that some of your life has been painful, but you know what? It’s nice to know that someone else has been “through it all,” too. You make me feel less alone!
Thank you for being *you*
Kathy
on November 10th, 2005 at 9:56 am
Untitled Comment
Jen-
Thank you for sharing so much of YOU . I especialy appreciate….
“If our chief purpose is to glorify God and to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, then what a fortunate opportunity we have when opposition comes! The fool plugs his ears and assumes he’s always right. I don’t want to be a fool. I may be a twinkie, but I certainly don’t want to be a fool. Any criticism is useful if it causes us to examine our lives and speech in accordance with the Word of God. ”
I think I may have been a fool many times and continue to learn from my past.
Our God is so good!
Maria
on November 10th, 2005 at 1:42 pm
I hope you…
share more of your testimony at some point. I feel bad that I did so much talking about mine when we were there several weeks ago. Now I know more why your writing and your life are such a blessing. Keep being real. We need more real people in this ol’ world. I hope we get more chances to fellowship and I’ll be the listener and you the talker next time. Okay?
In the scripture it says that YHWH exalts one man and puts down another. I don’t take much stock in when people are being blessed or going through great trials. I actually think we have a more difficult time holding onto Him when we are being blessed as the writer in Proverbs says when he asks for just enough, not too much less he forget G-d and not so little that he curse Him. I just know that whatever He gives me, it is from love for my good and it is always what I need.
Oh, btw, if you had not used “twerpy” and such in your article, I would not have got such a good mental picture. My older children are fond of those words and use them, too, so it may be generational. Of course, the lady may have been offended by other stuff than that. She needs to love Yeshua, the Living Torah, for it says in Psalm 119 – “Great peace have they that love your Torah and nothing shall offend them.”
Anyway, I’ve got some “bug” here, too, and reek of garlic since I’m trying to eat a bulb of it to get rid of it. I hope you get feeling better soon.
May Father bless you with His shalom and joy in abundance.
Love and shalom,\
Serena
on November 10th, 2005 at 8:51 pm
And another side revealed…
So I doubt that I’ll be writing about my day today, but I will tell you this… your blog was an answer to prayer. Sometimes I get hit so hard, I wonder where it’s all going and what I did to deserve it… truth is, what makes me think I deserve any good? I mean, I have been blessed more than I could ever deserve, just with my hubby and children. My focus needs to be on those blessings, instead of the things that just happen, even if they are a consequence to a bad decision on my part (and there certainly have been enough of those).
Thank you for being real with us… it only proves that the Lord uses everyone to glorify His kingdom. I know because of what turmoil my husband has went through, for example, he knows grace on a level some may never understand, or sadly, may never fully appreciate. The Lord used a prostitue (Rahab), a Cannanite widow (Tamar), an adulteress (Bathsheba), a Mobitess who was a widow (Ruth), and a virgin who everyone thought was a liar and had slept with her fiancee before they married (Mary) to bring our Savior into the world… what does that say the Lord Himself feels about people being redeemed?
Blessings to you and your family… and thanks again for your honesty… I really do thank Him for you, and especially today.
Love ya girlfriend!
Amy
on November 11th, 2005 at 12:12 am
There you go again….
Being YOU…honest, transparent, humble….oh the stories we can share together …. girlfriend…..we could seriously be on Oprah together……
Take care of yourself so you don’t get us all sick next week, ok?
on November 11th, 2005 at 7:04 am
you are eloquent even with a headache
great post Jen…thank you
on November 11th, 2005 at 9:01 am
Girl I hope you feel better soon 🙂
…sounds like you’re a tad in the dumps…things will get better. This is why I don’t go too out of my way to widen my circle of ‘friends’. Sometimes I feel like my online friends in the homeschooling community have more to offer in the way of emotional support because the rest of the world seems to be caught up in different priorities. Yes you have suffered but you have the correct perspective on this. Everything in this system of things, this current age we live in IS temporary as this world is passing away. I look forward to the new world we will someday live in minus all this strife! Keep on keepin’ on girl, you’re a survivor. Endure this miserable race called life as we know it and remember someday we will all be living the REAL LIFE according the hope God has given us through his son Christ Jesus. Amen! 😉
on November 11th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Untitled Comment
Thank you for being so honest and sharing. May the Lord continue to Bless you.
on November 12th, 2005 at 9:01 am
AMEN
I am in total agreement with you. You know about the taking things seriously when it comes to our relationship with the Lord. And that we are owed nothing. There is an unpopular concept but so true!
But here we split in philosophy. I am distressed about this whole no point to musicals thing. This has divided my family for years. But those of us who love musicals have more power then those who don’t – we are able to sing obnoxious showtunes for every situation, frustrating and sometimes even embarrassing the musical hater, (or I think a more PC term would be the showtune challenged), who has no such good weapon to use against us. All the showtune challenged can do is roll his or her eyes and try to pretend that he or she was adopted or is taking care of an escaped mental ward patient.
Hope you are feeling better.
on November 12th, 2005 at 2:05 pm
Thank you
Jen:
Thank you for sharing with us…you are an inspiration. I love reading your blog. God bless you and your family,
Michelle