Be Still

It's 10pm right now and I am knee deep in searching for our new home. A friend of mine checked in on me via email and when I responded back with a brief summary of what has been going on in my head (and I say this because in all actuality my world is still very secure) she sent me this. What encouragement! Thank you Jesus! Thank you my Beautiful Friend!

Drop the Reins -

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the
nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalms 46:10

This has always been one of my favorite verses. The image of
being still before God, resting in Him and knowing that He is in
control gives me great comfort. I recently discovered that the
Hebrew word for be still, "raphah", has another meaning.
Raphah means not only to be quiet, but it can also mean to let
drop or let go, especially the hand. It is the picture of a
horseback rider dropping the reins and letting the horse be
totally in control.

When I was young, I dreamed of having my own horse. My favorite
books were the "Black Stallion" series and I read every one of
them. When I grew up and actually had the opportunity to ride a
horse, I have to admit to being afraid! Suddenly that beautiful
horse became a powerful horse. What if he didn't listen to my
commands? What if he decided to go where he wanted? What if I
lost control? The problem was - it wasn't my horse. I didn't
know him. Didn't know how he'd respond to circumstances we might
encounter. Didn't know if I could trust him. Didn't have faith
in him.

It's not that way with God. When we have a personal relationship
with the Lord through Jesus, we can trust Him. The more we
develop that intimate relationship, the more we come to know Him
and the more we know that we can place our faith in Him
completely. No matter the circumstances, He is right there to
help us through them.

Do you see the application? Be still. Drop the reins. Let God
be in control. Quiet your heart to the extent that there is no
striving, no worry, no fear. It's not easy at first to do this
but it's an amazing way to gain God's peace. Lately, if one of
those little "what if" thoughts comes into my mind or if I feel
myself trying too hard to control a situation, I literally drop
my hands to my side and recite Psalm 46:10 as a prayer back to
God. "Lord," I say, "You tell me to be still and to know that
you are God. I drop the reins and I choose to let You be in
control. You already have the situation under control. You work
all things together for good because I love You and You have a
purpose for my life."

The word raphah is also used to speak of God and His promises.

For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or
destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which
he confirmed to them by oath. Deuteronomy 4:31

The word abandon, or forsake in the KJV, is also the word
raphah. Here it says that God will NOT let go or drop the
reins. He is merciful and will not forget His promises! While
we continually give Him the control, He faithfully promises not
to abandon us.

"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The LORD
your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor
forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

The word fail in this verse also means abandon or forsake.
It's like God wants this point very clear. He will neither
abandon nor forsake (which also means leave or abandon) us!

Whatever circumstances you're facing today, no matter how hard or
heart breaking they may be, know that God will never, never leave
you. Turn to Him, drop the reins and let Him work the situation
out for your good and His glory! Be exalted O Lord!

God Bless,
Teri standing in MN
"Rejoice Marriage Ministries"

Caution: Delays

It seems there is yet another adventure awaiting the Back Pack: moving. I am finally at the tail end of prepping our current home for the market. So things here have been busy, busy, busy. I have posts running through my head that I WILL get out but I need to get past Monday first. So please be patient with your Sister and please keep checking back!! There have been fun times afoot at Castle Back and I can't wait to share them with you!!

{{{HUGS!}}}
Your friend,
Celi

Learning Contentment by Charles H. Spurgeon

"I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content."
--Philippians 4:11

These words show us that contentment is not a natural propensity of man. "Ill weeds grow apace." Covetousness, discontent, and murmuring are as natural to man as thorns are to the soil. We need not sow thistles and brambles; they come up naturally enough, because they are indigenous to earth: and so, we need not teach men to complain; they complain fast enough without any education. But the precious things of the earth must be cultivated. If we would have wheat, we must plough and sow; if we want flowers, there must be the garden, and all the gardener's care. Now, contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and if we would have it, it must be cultivated; it will not grow in us by nature; it is the new nature alone that can produce it, and even then we must be specially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us. Paul says, "I have learned...to be content;" as much as to say, he did not know how at one time. It cost him some pains to attain to the mystery of that great truth. No doubt he sometimes thought he had learned, and then broke down. And when at last he had attained unto it, and could say, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content," he was an old, grey-headed man, upon the borders of the grave--a poor prisoner shut up in Nero's dungeon at Rome. We might well be willing to endure Paul's infirmities, and share the cold dungeon with him, if we too might by any means attain unto his good degree.
Do not indulge the notion that you can be contented with learning, or learn without discipline. It is not a power that may be exercised naturally, but a science to be acquired gradually. We know this from experience. Brother, hush that murmur, natural though it be, and continue a diligent pupil in the College of Content.

Blessing the Marriage

Many years ago when my marriage was much younger than it is now, I distinctly remember being convicted in the form of a compliment. It was after church when I was cleaning up from fellowship a well regarded gentleman who was watching me and another woman said this: "May God bless James, Blank and Blank. They've received a special blessing by being married to such strong assertive women."
What? I screamed in my heart. I don't remember what I did to be called out but the horror that I felt at that moment spread across my face like butter on hot toast. My friend, whose husband was one of those named by this man, turned to me and said, "Don't be so rigid Celi, it was a compliment!" She laughed, flipped her hair and walked off. My heart dropped. Is this how those outside my own home see me?
Later on, I was introduced to a great book called Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. Since then I have read it several times and I always am confronted with something new. Doug Phillips has a great sermon in regards to those of us "strong and assertive" women entitled "A Wise Woman's Guide to Blessing Her Husband's Vision" Another must for any wife to have in her CD collection.
Since then James has assured me that I have taken great strides and he is thankful for it. I am thankful for that gentleman to point out something obvious to others but oblivious to me.
Marriage is so much more than anything anyone can ever see, hear or gasp! even feel. It is far greater than any intention or hope or dream or dance that anybody can ever anticipate. A few days ago while on a walk I was listening to a great sermon by Voddie Baucham called Gospel Healing for Hurting Marriages. It was amazing. I would like to share it with you. This sermon is a must for anyone married regardless of the state of it. It is a great reminder of the tending a marriage needs in order to fulfill its purpose as the perfect example of Christ and His Church.
Here is a link. Please listen. You won't regret it:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=5409160500

Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms aka "The Ringmasters"

This little gem was nestled in my inbox this morning waiting to be cracked open. I don't regret it. It's a wonderful article written by a woman who homeschooled five kids. Encouragement is always meant to be passed on, especially when it goes out to all the exceptional women out there not only raising their kids but educating them as well. My hats off to you my friends...my ringmasters.

Ringmaster
by Sarah Bensen
I'm not the sort who leaps without looking. So I researched home schooling for years before actually making the jump. Then, the August before I became an official home school mom, I confidently drew up a list of goals- academic, social, spiritual - three neat pages carefully handwritten. It's a sweet document, earnest, idealistic...and utterly hilarious. I knew I was about to assume primary responsibility for my children's education. What I emphatically didn't know is that I was about to join a circus.

The homeschool mom is a master juggler. The first year started out innocuously enough, curled on the couch with my kindergartner working slowly through Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons The title should have given me pause. One hundred lessons are a lot for a five year old and the last eighty or so are not all that easy.

But we persevered, and once reading was conquered, I threw in spelling, addition, a baby, grammar, (What exactly is a preposition?), science experiments, long division, , another couple of babies, fractions, English composition (I get prepositions now!), the Civil War, music lessons, algebra, and one last baby. Watch the balls fly: logarithms, enthalpy, forty-nine insane comma rules, and Western Civ. Soon I'm studying Grapes of Wrath with the oldest, and, yes, a tattered 100 Easy Lessons with the little one. My head spins with curriculum decisions, lesson plans and record-keeping necessary to produce a meaningful high school transcript. Now a pile of housework, social obligations, dentist appointments, and, oh yeah, I almost forgot - I've got a husband, too! I'm really juggling now. Watch me teach one, two, three, four, five with a nutritious dinner on the table promptly at six.

The homeschool mom is a tight rope pro. Precariously, I balance my crazy schedule - head up, keep moving, never look down. I tend towards permissiveness, but during school hours I must demand excellence. If I'm too rigid, I rob my children of spontaneous learning opportunities that are a huge part of the reason I home school to start with. But neither do I serve their interests by permitting sloppy, incomplete or late schoolwork. I must balance the needs of the younger children with those of the older, taking as much care with phonics and elementary math as I do with British Literature and Drivers' Ed. Finally, I've learned that I must balance my family's needs with my own. Some spectacular emotional tumbles into the net over the years have taught me that lunch with a friend, morning devotions, an hour at the piano, even a relaxing bubble bath help to maintain equilibrium.

The home school mom is an expert lion tamer. I've stared down my large hairy felines. As a rule I enjoy the academic challenges, though, I admit that chemistry and precalculus occasionally seem like a bad idea. Relatives who think the kids should be in school don't much ruffle me. I've had to choose between getting organized and getting eaten. I sport a few puncture wounds, but mostly I'm organized. The fiery-eyed fanged beast that clouds my thinking and weakens my knees is intimidation. What if I inadvertently skip some skill vital to my children's future? What if they blow the SAT? What if they can't handle college? What if years down the road, they regret their weird education? If I don't keep a firm grip on my courage and face this lion square on, the responsibility for my children's education overwhelms me.

Don't let this tragic clown act fool you; secretly I love being a home school mom. The hours are horrendous, the pay stinks but the benefits are exceptional. I get to learn cool stuff every day. I spend a small fortune on fabulous books. My teenagers still want me to read to them out loud. I'm a million times more self-motivated, self-disciplined, and self-confident than I used to be. My kids are a delight to hang out with.

Recently my daughter, a college freshman, told me, "Mom, I love the education you gave me. I know so many things others kids my age don't. And I don't know stuff the other kids do." Intrigued, I asked her to explain. "I haven't watched as much TV. I don't get some of the school slang. I've never been to a dance or joined a clique. But I know way more about history, politics, and religion than my friends at school. You gave me a global perspective. I feel like I can learn anything." Once in a while, a home school mom is a trapeze artist sailing through the big tent, exhilarated by applause from the audience that means the most.

Christianity for the Simple Minded

The other day I was browsing through my favorite websites when I came across yet another rebuttal from N.T. Wright written for John Piper. Apparently, there is a dispute with these two that resembles the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State University. When one writes a book, the other writes a rebuttal. Then another book and another rebuttal. So here I was reading this N.T. Wright article when I realized I needed a dictionary in order to make it through the first paragraph! After reaching for the nearest dictionary (which I had to fight two public school educators for at a teacher's store outlet BTW) I started thumbing through. By the second paragraph, my brain blew up. I actually felt the pressure build up, watched the steam billow forth from my eardrums than POP! it exploded. I backtracked out of the article laid my head in my hands and realized I am way too simple to read complicated stuff like this. So how easy would it be for me to be deceived?
Later James came home from work and I told him about the mess in my head that was once my brain and the cause for said disaster. He explained to me in layman's terms what is going on between Mr. Wright and Mr. Piper and the basic points of the article. I breathed a sigh of relief. Wow, thanks to My God that my husband gets it!
What a man! I'm telling you. And I know many women out there are probably a lot more biblically sophisticated than this fool that writes before you but a special prayer I am sending out to our husbands as our headships and our protectors. I have always been easily swayed so having an anchor as my partner is incredibly crucial.
Remember Eve was the one deceived in the Garden of Eden as were the women of Antioch in Acts 13:50-52 But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
it was the prominent women who were stirred first, then the chief men which I am ASSUMING were their husbands. Seriously ladies, we do hold great power as the wives of our husbands. We hold their ear more than their own mothers. As a result of the abusive deception of these women, the city was cursed by the shaking of the dust off of the Apostles feet and the blessings were sent elsewhere. How sad is this? Sigh. What a total segway on the part of this blogger, my apologies but a complete revealing FOR ME that as a simple minded Christian it is imperative that I seek the counsel of my husband in all that I learn as he does with me in order to fully equip ourselves with the armor of God for His glory in all that we do.
Fallen.
Simple.
Sinful fool.
Blowing my brains over N.T. Wright articles.
Just crazy.

Maintenance

Hello,
To the three readers I MIGHT still have, this site is going to be under maintenance until I can figure out how to reorganize it so it is more reader/user efficient. Hopefully, this can all be done fairly quickly.

Thank you so much for your patience!