Lessons from a Lima Bean

My kids are participating in the science fair at school next week, and they've all chosen a topic. Jay is finding out what household products keep sliced apples from browning; Kate is making perfume; and Tori is exploring the life of a lima bean.

Tori's topic is what moves me for this post. The other day I get all excited and find a baby food jar, some dirt, and a lima bean or two. I carefully plant and water the bean. Tori and I watch it for a couple of days waiting to see some action. Well, 2 days ago I noticed an awful smell near the plant. (It was kinda like doggy doo to be perfectly honest.) It was bad. Anyway, I asked Jim that night to smell it (why do we often do that?), and tell me what I did wrong. Guess what? I had watered it too much and the bean plant was septic!!! My curiousity got the best of me, and when Tori wasn't paying attention, I dug the bean up anyway. I wanted to see what a "septic bean" looked like.

What I found was a huge, fat bean, bulging at the sides. The imagery reminded me of the Parable of the Sower in Luke. I related the bean's appearance to what happens when we take in so much of God's word through church, bible study, Sunday school, every other church activity; and then not allow it to change our hearts. As Beth Moore would say, "we've got to stop eating the seed." :) That little lima bean took in so much water that it got fat and stinky. Sometimes, as Believers, we can get so into studying the Word and gaining head knowledge, that we get fat and stinky. What I mean is this. We can take every bible study, read the bible thru in a year (every year), teach every bible class; and still fail to connect what we "eating" with our hearts. Our stomachs gets full and and satisfied.....for awhile. Eventually, if we don't digest the nutrients from our diets, we get septic.....fat....stinky.

I don't know about you, but I know God doesn't want His children to get fat and stinky.....or septic. We want to be healthy...vibrant...fruit-bearing......alive. Let me rephrase that. God wants us to be healthy.....vibrant....fruit-bearing.....alive.

Marcy

An Inconvenience

I have nothing to complain about, but, let me complain. :)

I'm currently feeling very "dumb". I'm sitting in one of my favorite coffeehouses, and connected up to their wireless. Now, let me say, there is a reason (not that there HAS to be), that I'm here. Our phone/internet isn't hooked up at our new house yet. Total bummer. So, here I sit, looking like I'm important typing away on my laptop. Is that hilarious or what? :)

Again, back to the complaint. It's a pain not having a way to check email. What would our ancestors think about that? They would have just loved a telephone, but we are in such a "I want it now" society. Bunch of spoiled, rotten people, huh? :)

The scoop on the house? I'm exhausted. (Not too exhausted to meet my friend, Lori, for coffee though.) Vicki, you're next! :)

We're moved in pretty much. There's a bit more in the old house. Yuck. It's the stuff that a person can live without, but not really live without. I know that makes sense to those who understand. :)

Okay, I need some coffee. That will make me look even more important. :)

Marcy

Hangin' Our Hats at a new Local

This weekend we move to our new house! We're so excited, and at the same time, man, are we exhausted. My eyes are tight, muscles sore, and boy, am I over looking at boxes.

We've been in this house since 1998, and what a great 10 years it's been. Lots of "firsts" took place here. Jay was 2 then, Kate 8 months, and Tori, well, she was a twinkle in God's eye at that point. :) Kate's first steps were here. All of them had their first days of school while living here. Too many things to list.

I think of what we'll experience in the new house. The first teenager. First driver. Oooo, and the first date. YIKES!

On that note, I'm going to bed!!!

Marcy

Hittin' the Hardwood

This past Friday was Tori's first basketball game. Our church is sponsoring Upward B-ball (really neat, Christian sports program) for kids grades 1 - 6.

The Tigers have 3 coaches, one of which is yours truly. Yep, I'm on my second year in the big, bad world of Upward Basketball. (Who can turn down this sweet, 6 yr. old?) Anyway, last year I had Kate, and this year Tori. In a word, wait..in 2 words....fast and furious. :)

I looked like a total geek mom (again, who happens to be on the sidelines), when Tori scored her first goal Friday night. Poor thing has had lots of trouble getting the ball up to the rim in practice. She always comes so close in getting a basket. Anyway, that all changed on Friday. :)

Tori had the ball down low under the basket and when she released the ball with everything she could muster, I felt certain it was going in. In fact, I just went ahead and jumped up and down to start celebrating early! Yes, it was good!!! Tori's first 2 points!!!!!!!!!

Marcy

Nisi Dominus Frustra

No, I'm not taking a course in Latin in case you wondering. I am taking the newest Beth Moore bible study, and like everyone of them I always have taken, I again say it's the best one.

That Latin phase means, "Without the Lord, Frustration." I feel like making that a bumper sticker and handing them out to all who need to be reminded of that.....like me.

Jim and I are so excited that our house is "pending." Yea! Hopefully, January will be the only month we make 2 house payments! YIKES! God has been in every single second of our journey to the new home we purchased, and He's been right in the middle of the one we're selling. Who sells their house in less than a week without a realtor? Amazing, how God provides! It's also amazing to me that, in the midst of prayer requests way more serious than mine, that He hears me. It's not like the book that came out a few years ago about how we're not to sweat the small stuff, and then the author had one published later about how everything is small stuff. I think so often, as believers, we believe that to be true of our God. You know what I mean. Sometimes we don't say that prayer request out loud in our small groups because the lady beside us is waiting on a mammogram test to tell her whether or not her life's about to change dramatically. We can think our needs as trivial to God because they aren't as serious as someone else.

Here's the deal though. The Bible never categorizes the seriousness of our petitions to God. He cares for us. He wants a relationship with us. He doesn't need it, but He delights in us. We're the apple of His eye. I have cried out to him when facing a cancer diagnosis....begged Him to heal my oldest of stuttering....and asked him to bring a buyer for this house. All of those requests were just as important to Him as the others.

The Psalms tell of a God of compassion, rich in love, and oh, so gracious. I see nothing in there about who the recepients are besides you and me.

This Latin phrase doesn't mean that if we simply love and believe in God, that we'll never feel frustrated again. Oh no. I think it may mean, that down deep in our spirit, the light of hope..light of grace...light of mercy...still feeds our soul.

Marcy

What a week!

I am so glad it's Friday.

Have you ever had one of those weeks when you go through the day to day activities, but mentally....you wonder how you're doing it? That may sound totally nuts, but then again, you are reading my blog. :)

We closed on our new house last week.....began moving in (slowly) last weekend. Put our house on the market 4 days ago, and have fielded countless calls and shown it a handful of times. The kids went back to school on Thursday.....and so did my oldest, Jay. If you read a previous post, you now know I'm a homeschool dropout mom. So, Jim and I now have 3 kids in private school, 2 house payments, and trying to move 10 years worth of our lives. Oh, throw in the fact that mom decided to scare everyone and mimic a heart attack yesterday morning. All tests have come back normal, but she was in the hospital until this evening. No heart attack, but has mitral valve prolapse with some potassium issues. Let me just tell you it's unbelievably scary to watch someone (or in my case, my mother) have severe chest pain and just sit by feeling helpless.

So, I'm exhausted. As much mentally as physically. Poor Jim. He's tired too. I can't get worn down without it affecting him in some way. I have nothing that a good night's sleep won't cure.

The kids are watching Star Wars.....except for Tori. She said it was "too violent." I immediately took advantage of that moment and promptly brought her upstairs. Jim, Jay, and Kate are getting their fill of Anakin Skywalker and acting surprised at the fact that he turns to the dark side. (It's like they've never seen it before.) :) As for Tori and I......she's watching Animal Planet and well, here I am typing away. :)

Have a great weekend.....and a uneventful one. :)

Marcy