The Chaos of Life

God's end is to enable me to see that he can walk on the chaos of my life just now. ~Oswald Chambers

There I was huddled in bed, one cold pack on the back of my head, and one over my eyes. The heating pad across my shoulders. I wasn't sure why everything was turning black when I tried to get up, or why I was shaking and my teeth chattering. A quick check of my sugar level answered the question -- 524, certainly higher than the 110 I aimed for.

I was distraught. There were writing projects to complete, a leadership conference to attend, speaking scripts to write, and my house was screaming for some loving.

As I lay there in the dark, my God began to calm me, helping me release the conference from my heart and gripping hands, silencing the dust bunnies playing tag on top of every surface, and helping me change some self-imposed deadlines. It was God walking on the chaos of my life. He wasn’t tiptoeing; He was embossing His footprints on my chaos. 

With my doctor doing some medicine-tinkering, my sugars are near to normal. My writing projects are all delivered. And through all the chaos, God has walked with me, encouraging, calming and blessing in spite of the chaos.

Women with Intention

A Little R and R

Hope in Every Season 

Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood

Titus 2 Tuesday

Intentional Tuesday

The Home Shelter Built

What I love most about my home is who I share it with. ~Tad Carpenter

The storms Sunday brought me a gift. While grieving with those who lost so much, I have been enjoying some extra moments with my husband. The university building that houses his office is without electricity for the second day. And while still working at home, RB shelters me in the little things of life like fresh tea, a neatly made bed, washing up lunch dishes, sneaking in kisses, and driving me to teach my writing class. 

Husband and Wife Photography

My heart has been mulling over Ann Voskamp's post, The Truth about Boring Men -- and the Women who Live with Them: Redefining Boring. It brought to mind the words of a friend's son: "Mom, the girls here (a university with a Christian world-view) don't care about living in ministry; all they talk about is how big a diamond will be on their engagement ring."

Anne Frank in Anne of Green Gables told Gilbert, "I don't want diamond sunbursts or marble halls. I just want you!" I see so many young people who want only the best as they start their life together. They are more interested in the "diamond sunbursts" and "marble halls." It occupies them more than the importance of relationship building. Which may be why they rush their children from one activity to another, trying to make sure they don't miss out on any worldly pleasure.

In light of Ann's post, we would be called a boring family. We don't need to "have fun" every weekend. We find enjoyment in each other -- whether we're working, reading or conversing.  And when we choose to go out, we enjoy that, too. Saturday night the four of us -- Jonathon and Emily, RB and I -- went to Taylor University's production of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. And who would go to Taylor University without having a meal at Ivanhoe's first? 

Bedford - 1997

I think we enjoy our time out more because we aren't on entertainment overload. I would gently urge you to raise your family without the constant "go." We linger at the evening meal and shelter each other by listening about each others' days. We discuss deep heart questions and listen to Jonathon and Emily's dreams for their life together. We encourage the ministry they have now, and they listen to our chatter about the projects we are working on. Several years ago Emily saw the conversation cards for table talk advertised and she asked, "Do people really have trouble finding something to talk about?"

Melanie and Emily were raised on quiet evenings at home. On making music together. On building relationships through conversation -- some deep, others witty, as puns flew across the table. On the importance of ministry-living over self-living.  It's a good way to build a family. And I find joy in watching Shawn and Melanie raise their own children with a healthy dose of home. 

Shelter your family tonight. Light the candles, pop some popcorn, drag out the goblets and enjoy some sparkling grape juice. Turn off your phones, e-mails and movies. Celebrate with conversation.  

Today as RB and I work together in a bustling, noisy Panera, computers back-to-back, sharing food and conversation among working on separate projects, I am content in the midst of our boring. I thrive on it. Boring feeds my soul.

Try it. Try being a little boring. You will find there's joy in the less of life. And deep contentment in "I just want you."

Linked to:
Soli Deo Gloria

Encourage One Another 

Welcome Home Wednesday

Thriving Thursday

More Shelter Sightings

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. ~George Washington Carver

In my wandering through the blogs of friends, both old and new, I find people all over the world who shelter.  They may not call it sheltering -- but I do.  Life can be hard.  The aging wonder if their social security checks will cover all their expenses , and parents try to keep all their obligations to their jobs while trying to raise kids with character.  Children worry about things we didn't even dream of  at their age -- gunmen shooting at random, bullying and the pressure to conform.  Teens feel like nobody cares and most of us can't see past the piercings and black trench coats. 

I've been asking the Lord lately to help me see each person as an individual.  Not an economic class, a race, behavior or physical appearance, but someone loved by God with hurts buried in their heart and a mask on their countenance. If I can bring beauty or joy to their lives for a few minutes, I would be thrilled.  

These are people who touch lives...

Monica from the The Homespun Heart is a beautiful, creative mother of three.  A very busy mother who homeschools, plans the sweetest parties and picnics, entertains creatively and decorates her home with joy.  

In the years I have read Monica's blog I have been challenged by the sweetness of her giving to others. Whether it's her time, her finances or the delightful hand crafted gifts, she gives out of the fullness of her heart.  

The post, "Waiting Gracefully," shows the gift of friendship, prayers and time.  The greatest gifts don't always cost money -- they are a giving of oneself.

* * * * *

Wendy from My Heart is Always Home is a stay-at-home mom to Megan.  Megan joined their family at nine months when they adopted her from China.  She's a cheerful, list-maker organized, garden grower Christian who cares deeply about the tragedies not only at home but in other countries, including earthquake victims in Haiti.  

Wendy shares her gardening abundance with elderly neighbors, drops off extra supplies at their favorite charity, and shares extra coupons with others.  In this post on hospitality, Wendy shares how to offer hospitality away from home. 

* * * * *

My last Shelterer is Amber from Making a Home.  She is a home-school mom to her three children.  In her words, she feels "incredibly blessed" to to be called to be a stay-at-home mom.  Amber journals her prayers and desires her blog to glorify God.

In sheltering, I believe it must begin at home.  God gave us our families and intends us to bless them with love, devotion and gentleness.  Amber wrote this great post on 50 Practical Ways to Affirm our Husbands and Make Them Feel Love and Respected.  

Winston Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."  I hope this post will help you to understand that giving does not need to be expensive.  Each of these young mothers are busy.  Yet each of them takes time to share of themselves, and from the abundance God has given them.  

Giving by Shirley Hughes
I know a Shirley Hughes who not only
gives extravagantly, but taught her
daughter to shelter, too.

Giving does not have to cost a cent.  You can give hugs, attention, smiles.   I promise that if you give to others you will find a contentment deep in your heart.  A generous man will himself be blessed (Proverbs 22:9).

Mother's Teresa  gave love extravagantly.  She said, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one."  I challenge you to find just one person to shelter this week.  Make it a gift with little or no expense.  Use Monica, Wendy or Amber's ideas or come up with one of your own.  Give consciously by asking the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Someone is hurting, overwhelmed or experiencing health issues. Shelter. Shelter the unemployed, your depressed friend and the tech who takes your blood at the lab. Shelter your husband, those kids who call you mother and your great aunt who lives alone. Reach out those leafy arms, bend your branches protectively, and give joy as the wind rustles your leaves.  

This post is linked to
Pay it Forward

Thank Goodness it's Friday

That Friday Blog Hop

Home is Where My Story Begins

2010: Learning Contentment

God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.  ~John Piper

Each year I choose a character trait I'd like to focus on throughout the year.  In January 2010 I chose contentment. 

discontent [dɪs kənˈtɛnt] n
a. Absence of contentment; dissatisfaction.

b. A restless longing for better circumstances.

I don't think I suffered from paramania -- an abnormal pleasure in complaints...  But it was so easy to let a spirit of discontentment creep in and rob me of the joy of life. 

Dissatisfaction with himself had settled over him …

as congruently as a second skin.

~François Camoin



David wrote in Psalm 132:2, "I've kept my feet on the ground, I've cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother's arms, my soul is a baby
content."  David had "smoothed down the roughness of his self-will" (The Treasury of David).  That was my desire, to smooth some rough edges of my self-will.  One of the byproducts of a discontented life is selfishness.  We want to be better, to have more, to shine brighter than everyone else.  So we are selfish with our compliments, our "things," and even ourselves. 

Unselfishness is hard.  Really hard!  I started whispering to myself, "It's not about me."  I was careful not to use this as an excuse to always say "yes" to the requests of others.  But I learned there were times I could say yes, when selfishly I wanted to say no.

Oh my, was I ever surprised with the results of living a contented life.  Progress came in baby steps -- it took me most of the year to change habits -- but looking back I see the changes         more clearly. 

• I shopped less and wrote more.
• When I shopped it was more often for others.
• I was content staying home.
• I found ways to create with what I already had.
• I learned to share more freely.

But it really wasn't just material things in which I found contentment.  I found contentment in myself.  I think there comes a time when we need to be content with ourselves.  That doesn't mean we don't continue to learn and stretch our visions.  For me, it meant accepting my quest for truth and knowledge.  I've always felt like I was a strange breed -- I'm not satisfied to ponder and discuss surface topics.   For so many years I squashed that part of me and tried to be content with those friends who indulged or encouraged me to speak my mind.  I needed to be content with how God made me.  It was funny.  When I surrendered the discontent, God put so many people in my path who loved to ponder, discuss, and delight in more serious subjects. 

I found contentment in my hopes and dreams.  There are goals I have set for myself: inward goals, writing dreams.  I work on being content where I am right now.  Patience doesn't show up on my list of character traits.  I want to see accomplishments NOW.  I try to celebrate small victories, changes of habit, and advances in discipline.

This blog is about sheltering.  In  trying to be the best woman I can be in Christ, I am not only sheltering myself, but I am able to shelter others in a greater way.  Matthew, tax-collector-turned-apostle shared,

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are -- no more, no less.

That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought."

That's me, a little more contented...with who I am in Christ.  A proud owner of everything that can't be bought.

Jesus, You're the center of my joy,
all that's good and perfect comes from You.
You're the heart of my contentment, hope for all I do;
Jesus, You're the center of my joy.

~Richard Smallwood~