Celebrate A Simple Life

WHAT? You’re a PERSON???

Ellie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:50:55 +0000

For serious?

LEFT TO RIGHT: Tyler (20), Sarah (11), Emily (21), Josiah (1), Ellen (17), Momma (Christy), Trey (19), Mercy (3), Daddy (Les), Annie (7), Jacob (16), Hannah (14), & Ben (12).

When God Molds Our Dreams

Ellie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:53:58 +0000

… and tunes them to His will.

Sometimes he does, you know.

No matter how crazy they sound to others, we find the things He calls us to beautiful.

So beautiful that we almost can’t stand it.

“Can’t stand what?”

The joy.

hmmmm…

Ellie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:32:58 +0000

So what do y’all think Mercy is talking about?

“Our brother in law is getting married.” Tyler?
“Who can I be married to?” No one yet.
“But I can be married to someone, when I’m walking down the island.” The island?

Peanut Butter Boy

Ellie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:25:25 +0000

“As soon as he got home, he went to the larder; and he stood on a chair, and took down a very large jar of peanut butter from the top shelf. It had PEANUT BUTTER written on it, but, just to make sure, he took off the paper cover and looked at it, and it looked just like peanut butter.”But you never can tell,” said Josiah. “I remember my uncle saying once that he had seen cheese just this colour.” So he put his tongue in, and took a large lick. Yes,” he said, “it is. No doubt about that. And peanut butter, I should say, right down to the bottom of the jar. Unless, of course,” he said, “somebody put cheese in at the bottom just for a joke. Perhaps I had better go a little further … just in case … in case Heffalumps don’t like cheese … same as me … Ah!” And he gave a deep sigh. “I was right. It is peanut butter, right the way down.”
A.A. Milne, Winnie-The-Pooh (personalisation added)

The Big + pt. 2 (links)

Ellie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:34:23 +0000

O.K, so I’m FINALLY posting the second part on this subject… although those who didn’t know I even had a second part probably didn’t notice… hmm…

First, visit the websites of Project Hopeful, Ahope, and the some of the sites listed here. Go ahead, do it. Read There Is No Me Without You (((older readers))). Research HIV.

Did you do it? Now consider what you have read: HIV is not so easily transmitted nor so “scary” as you might have thought. Now consider this: even if it was, that would be no excuse for God’s people to neglect His call to care for the “least of these.” Isn’t His carrying our disease and conquering us with His love enough to compel us to us to carry them- their sickness and their souls- before His throne? Isn’t it enough to inspire us to show them that love? Do we believe that the love of Christ is enough? Do we believe it will reach even them? “‘Love never fails’- is love failing now?” (Amy Carmichael)

Love So Amazing

Ellie — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:45:27 +0000

“My beloved speaks and says to me:

‘Arise, my love, my beautiful one,

and come away’”

Song of Solomon 2:10

And my Beloved is altogether desirable.

Happy People

Ellie — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:51:53 +0000

“So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.” Genesis 29:20

(hopefully Jessica will get some good pictures this weekend!)

*Some people are probably glad that daddy doesn’t have the seven year son-in-law requirement like Laban did

Nothing Ordinary

Ellie — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:27:19 +0000

“Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him.” Mark 1:16-18

Press on, Christian, take heart! “Nothing ordinary is equal to this new call.” (Amy Carmichael) – and yet it is so “normal”, so natural, it seems like it should be so “natural” that a child should follow his Father- his loving, perfect Father- about where ever and to whatever He calls- won’t we follow freely out of love? Don’t kick your feet and scream, you have no idea of the joy He has prepared for those who with their whole hearts follow.

And really, that is why nothing ordinary is equal to it- because of the joy. Nothing ordinary is equal to a Babe born of a virgin. Nothing ordinary is equal to His sinless life. Nothing ordinary is equal to His redemptive death. Nothing ordinary is equal to His saving work in sinners souls. And so we are compelled to ask “can anything be equal to following His call?” No, nothing.

Can we imagine beforehand the depth of the treasure-house of delight our Beloved has in store for those whom he is not ashamed to call “brother”? Now we do not follow to some abyss of emptiness- in the sense that where ever we are, whatever we do, we are never left empty when we call for Him to fill us. Now we follow to joy on joy, joy instead of joy. “Rude, crowding little children type of [joy]*” Not that there will never be sorrow, pain, hurt- but for believers, those things do not have to cancel out joy. Sometimes it may be a quiet, sad type of joy that it doesn’t look like [to others] you should even have. But if to live is Christ, then surely there is always joy. Surely there is great joy in following.

Also, nothing ordinary, I think we’ll find, is equal to the love- the Love of God from which it flows and the love to others which flows from this Greater Love. The type of love that makes your heart jump up and start screaming at the mere thought of your loved ones- the type of love that fills and flows over- but words fail.

And if humans, sinful man, is capable of such love, compare it now to the to the Love of God to His children. There is not even a comparison here. Nothing ordinary is equal to this, no nothing. The comparison fails: our families, our dear friends, add so much- can give so much to us. What can we add to God? There is nothing in us. What does He ask of us through the power of His Son? He calls for our lives. He calls for our all. He calls for us to serve Him through serving others. He calls for our love-our hearts.

And nothing ordinary is equal to this new call.

*Pastor John in reference to grace.

The Big +

Ellie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:45:11 +0000

What if, when the love of God constrained you to consider touching the untouchable, you found out that the untouchable are very touchable after all- and huggable, feelable, lovable?

I wonder how most of my blog readers will respond to this post in their minds? There are, I suppose, a great lot of not-knowers. If you are a not-knower, I strongly suggest that you pursue becoming a knower (talk to Momma!). I am not blind to the fact that I myself do not know everything there is to know on the subject. Here is some of what I do know.

Right now, children & adults in Africa are dying because they cannot get the lifesaving ARVs they need- medications which are very gettable in the U.S. Children who with the proper treatment could live “normal” lives- like Josiah

Like Mercy

Like the children you love.

How long will this go on?

Until people know?

Until people understand?

Until people stop being afraid- afraid to touch?

Until we see their faces?

Until we realise they’re real?

Until we love enough to touch, hug, feel, pray for?

I’m for real. The body of Christ is called to follow in His steps. Christ carried our disease- will we be satisfied to let them die of theirs? They too need the love of Christ- will we show them that love? Inasmuch as we visit the least of these sick, we’ve done it unto Him. Will we ‘do it unto Him’? Will we pray? Will we love like Christ?

Will we?

What does that Song mean, anyway?

Ellie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:20:02 +0000

Some books in the Bible seem very ‘perplexing’ to understand, don’t you agree? Song of Solomon is one of these, I believe, and I expect that there are very differing opinions on the interpretation- so what do you say?
Now it’s pretty likely that at least the older portion of my family know what my interpretation is, but what about the rest of y’all??? Whatcha’ think?