Moving yet again!
Yes, it is true.
You may find my new site, still called Seeking Faithfulness, just a click away.
I am so technoignorant, that when I set this place up I changed the names around so many times and ended up with a url and site name that didn’t match up. According to my wordpress search site, people have been having trouble finding me because of this…(what did she call that place again?) and so hopefully homogenization will help. 
Anyway.
I have imported most of the archives over there – and look forward to developing that place futher as time passes. For those of you who just got around to adding me to your blogrolls, please forgive me. I will try not to mess you up again. I will get around to blogrolls at the new place, as soon as I can. I will leave this site up for a few weeks, to catch stragglers.
What are you waiting for? Hop on over and see me!
It’s a baby shower!
Come Right On In!
This is one shower that I am thrilled to take part in, along with my friends from the olden days at Choosing Home.
Following the loss of her first son, and then subsequent years of infertility following the birth of her daughter, our dear friend and former web mistress, Jenna, is expecting a baby. Jenna’s daughter, who is five years old, used to pray for another little baby every night. God has heard her cry, and those of her Mommy and Daddy, and has sent this new little one who is still growing on the vine. Isn’t God MARVELOUS! I am still just breathless at it all.
If ever a woman deserved a party – Jenna does.
It is just a joy to reunite, one more time, with the other gals from Choosing Home, and celebrate the Lord’s goodness to our dear friend.
Think of this as a multi-roomed party. Dawn kicks things off over at Choosing Home. Lynn will be sharing some recipes there as well. Molly shares some of Jenna’s story, Dawn gives Jenna (and you) some wonderful gifts of decorations for baby’s room and favorite books for little ones, Ann V. delights us with scripture, and me? I’m posting some of my very favorite links, custom assembled for Jenna.
Dive right in, enjoy the fun – and feel free to leave Jenna congratulations and prayers and well wishes in the comment section below. We love you, Jenna and family!
Jenna, Here’s a good link for baby names and their meanings. Isn’t it so much fun to search for just the right baby name?
And here’s my favorite place to buy maternity clothing. You can find ANYTHING here.
Jenna loves to work with yarn – so here’s a BUNCH of free patterns for baby items. And here’s some more. There are so many incredible yarns out there that are a pleasure to work with. Hey…that gives me an idea…. 
While we’re making something…how about the directions to make a wrap to carry baby in? It doesn’t get much more simple than this! Jenna can make just about anything with her hands.
And although this site is meant to help women who carry breech, this site taught me so much about how a baby lies within the womb, and how to help it get into position for birth.
Here’s a link to Super Baby Foods by Ruth Yaron – which is one of the things I’m going to be sending to Jenna while she waits on the little bean. It is THE BEST BOOK hands down on the issue of feeding a child for ANY mom!
Last, but not least…this is the neatest site about saving money and making homemade diapers out of just about anything. It’s called Frugal Diapering…and some of them are so cute!
Speaking of CUTE, you need to head over to Jenna’s site to see the ultrasound pictures of her ….well, go see for yourself! They are just posted today.
Thank you Jesus, for the work you are doing!
Delighting WITH all of you -
Holly
Tell me about where and how you worship…
I broke the last post into two questions. I realized that perhaps I was asking too much in one place. So go to the post below to tell me how you see God moving in this generation. And, in this comment box, I’d love to hear about your church gathering. Home church, Fundamental, Emergent, Emerging, Reformed, Wesleyan Armenian…tell me what’s good about your fellowship. (That’s for Molly. I’m trying to use up all of her descriptions.) If there’s nothing good…then you need to be finding a new fellowship! )
Let me tell you about my local Church body. My husband pastors a Missionary Church in Michigan. We are an evangelical denomination which focuses on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and living a life of holiness. We are not necessarily denominationally bound, it is just a good fit right now. From a practical perspective, the denomination is dedicated to church planting and world missions. A good percentage of our budget is dedicated to missions. It is a good, good, good group of people….not perfect people, but it is surely a place where I see people seeking God and striving to live out that faith in a real way. I see them reaching out both within the body and without. We are continually challenged to grow, to avoid complacency. The leadership works diligently to equip ALL believers to minister, in whatever way God has gifted them. The moral bar is set quite high, but with forgiveness easily extended and plenty of hands to help the fallen brother. Doctrinally, it is an interesting mix which is mostly left to the discretion of the local pastor. Some of our churches are very much in the Wesleyan Armenian camp, while some out West and in the Southwest are Calvanistic. Our services are mostly traditional, because that is how the body desires to worship.
Your turn!
Helpmeets in Khaki and Camoflauge
Lessons Steve Irwin Style, Part 2 (Part 1 is just below)
I’ve been pondering men and women, and the roles each play within a marriage. You and I both know there are immense amounts of opinions and information available from both sides of the aisle.
Every once in awhile you run across a couple who perfectly complement each other, who beautifully portray the blending that God designed.
I spent time with my sister this past week. She and I live about 16 hours apart, so usually only see each other once a year. She is 8 years my elder.
She’s not had a perfect life – in fact, it has been filled with many painful things. And yet, I really enjoy watching her with her husband. He is an outdoorsman, to say the least. His walls are filled with “he-man” things…stuffed deer heads, geese, arrows carved by his own hand, sportsmanship trophies. He can cook anything Cajun, tan his own Buffalo hide, and made their bed from rough hewn logs. And yet, he cares for my sister tenderly and thoughtfully. If she needs anything – he makes it for her….from food to flower arrangements to a cheese press to etched plates for their anniversary.
And my sister. She is another “can do” soul. She wears camoflage and work boots most of the time – but she plays the piano and hand sewed her own velvet and satin wedding dress. She takes top honors at archery, but never brags. She can outfish most men, but I notice that she makes a point not to. She cooks, crochets, knits, cares for her grandbaby and dotes on her husband. When he cooked for the family this week, I observed that she paid careful attention – bringing him ingredients just as he needed them, grabbing the proper knife before he even asked. She even brought him tea while he chopped…with just the right amount of sugar for a southern boy. She’s his right hand.
But he honors and loves and serves her, too.
My brother in law, Terry, recently came through a frightening time with the skin cancer, Melanoma. He had a stage 4 tumor on his shoulder, and was told by the doctor that he had less than a year to live. We prayed, she stood by his side, and God healed. The melanoma never entered his lymph system and he has been given a reprieve. They are closer than ever, grateful for another chance, for more time. I’m pretty sure they’ve never studied the “way” things are supposed to be between men and women…they just do it. They live as individuals with strong interests; but totally for each other, and together for God.
Not to put too much emphasis on Steve and Terri Irwin – for they are simply humans – but while watching them on 20/20 last night I saw much of the same thing. Terri told how she had her own life before Steve…a wildlife rescue foundation. Her family was in Oregon. Her whole life was there. But when Steve asked her to marry him, she considered it all and said, “yes.” His life became hers. She didn’t shrink back and become less, her life became absolutely engulfed and wrapped up in his. Because of that, her life expanded, increased. She dove right in the mud with him – wore the same khakis and wrestled the same critters. She didn’t take over – but she certainly was his helper. Their relationship was beautiful to watch. She called him “my Prince.”
It was horribly sad to see this woman alone, without her mate. Her grief ran so deep, I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. Those who love much, grieve much. Those who have much to lose, value what they DO have, and mourn it when it is gone.
What I take from this is that our relationships won’t all look the same; and yet, as Christians, they can all be pleasing to God. They can be beautiful and a reflection of His glory whether wearing ruffles and lace or khaki and camoflauge. To be given the opportunity to walk alongside a good man and share his life and to sense his needs and to raise his children and be engulfed in his work is indeed a fulfilling, worthy thing. It is a blessed thing. If you have this, give it your best. Don’t take it for granted.
Wear khaki if necessary.
Of headaches and better days
I could pretend for you that all things are well; that I have my act together…that my home runs flawlessly and my floors are always clean. I could tell you that my children are always perfectly behaved and because we eat healthy food we are never sick and always feel great.
That would not be true, however. I have been struggling so much lately. Mostly with these debilitating headaches which bring about shakiness and weakness. (For the record, I have considered food allergies or triggers, but even when eating a hypoallergenic diet I simply can’t avoid them or shake them. ) I’m considering several things…such as chemical sensitivities, environmental allergies, weather patterns…but so far have come up with nothing that helps.
I desire so much to be a faithful servant of God – to praise Him no matter what – in the good days and in the bad. I want to share of His goodness, His mercies, His faithfulness to frail man and woman. I strive to be the best wife and mama and friend that I can, regardless of how I feel. But there are so many times that it seems I fail.
What to do? Get back up, try again, and continually throw myself on the mercy of the One who loves me and who lifts my head and gives me strength. Persevere. Never, never, never give up.
I’m sorry if my posts have seemed rather depressive of late. That is not my intention. I simply long to share this journey with you, to share the life of a real woman who has real struggles…but who knows where her hope and salvation and even joy amidst difficult days comes from.
Thanks for sticking with me, for encouraging me, for sharing these days with me.
In Him,
Holly
Epitaph: She Stinketh at Sidebars…
I do. And I know it.
Have patience with me, please, and forgive my sidebar ignorance. I don’t have time to do much playing around with it…and my son has been too busy as well.
Someday, I’ll get it all figured out. Until then…it remains a disorganized mess.
Quick poll
I can’t be the only woman to eat chocolate in the middle of a really long, bad night when the little people are awake every 15 minutes, can I?
Last night was a horrid night. Fortunately, I had a bag of miniature Skor bars in my cupboard.
I Can’t…
“I can’t do this,” I say to myself at least ten times a day.
I. Simply. Can’t. Do. This. It is too hard.
I can’t do what YOU have called me to.
I can’t be a good mom, an excellent wife, an adequate teacher, a loyal daughter, a conscientious sister…
I can’t change the baby and nurse him and bathe him…while potty training the toddler and wiping up the dip he used to finger paint the chairs. And just how did he get the laundry powder into the cat’s food?
I can’t braid the girl’s hair and oversee their play practice and settle their squabble. And why do they boss each other around?
I can’t correct the four year old’s problematic speech patterns and teach him to write his name. And why does he whine?
I can’t answer the 12 year old’s question on “why the words of Jesus are in red but the question mark is in black?” And why can’t he ever find his socks?
I can’t help the 14 year old with his algebra….oh yes. Thank you for prompting me to buy the curriculum cds.
I just can’t Lord. At least not all at once!
My Lord says, “You CAN, my child. You CAN. One thing at a time, one priority at a time. I’ll give you what you need. Moment by moment. Come on over here. Climb right on up. That’s right. My arms are big enough to hold it all, to handle it all. Take just a minute…breathe deep. I AM sufficient. Calm your heart. I didn’t ask you to be PERFECT. I asked you to walk with Me, to love these little ones, to love that man I joined you with. Do what you can, do your best, put your hand right here…and squeeze extra hard when you think you’re going to lose it. I AM. I am for you. I am with you. I will strengthen you. I will uphold you. I will teach you all you need to know. Simply Come.”
I CAN! I WILL! I DO!
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:9-10)
I am so excited about these!
You will see two new e-books on my sidebar.
The first is a holiday planner written by a friend I have known since college, Sheri Graham. (That is getting to be a loooong time ago, now.) Sheri sent me a copy of this planner, and I was really impressed. She left nothing out. NOTHING. Well, okay, she won’t gift wrap your presents for you, but she DID mention baking cookies for your pastor’s family on page 69. (Good girl, Sheri!)
I’m not a planner, people. But this makes me want to be.
There’s a part of me that wants to cancel anything about Christmas beyond a extremely quiet celebration at home…but that never seems to happen. After looking thru Sheri’s Holiday Planner, I really think this would help me make things more simple. You write it all down…see where you are overloaded…and do what you are able. She covers Thanksgiving thru New Year’s, with stationery, recipes, and the focus right where it should be – on Jesus. Sheri is a homeschooling mama of four, with her youngest little girl a tender two months of age.
You will also notice Ann Voskamp’s latest e-book in the sidebar. Ann sent me this just last night, too. It is gorgeous! It includes devotionals and ornaments that correspond with The Jesse Tree. Ann’s devotionals overflow from a heart that is in love with Jesus – you will feel like you are with her as she writes.
You can also get a soft-cover copy of The Glorious Coming at HERE.
Sheri is offering both books for a very low price. I recently tried my first e-book and loved it. It was very, very easy. Enjoy! Just click on the book graphics on the sidebar to check them out.
A special thanks to my sweet son Jake…the bestest 14 year old boy in the www. (Whole Wide World.) He sacrifices personal time to help his non-geek mother with her blog.
