7 Quick Takes (Volume 80)

1) Unable to decide which one fit best, I bought a sweater in two sizes hoping my family would help me make a decision. I kept one and was surprised when Drama Queen asked if she could have the other. I wore my sweater on Sunday and on Monday morning Miss Innocent One came downstairs wearing Drama Queen's sweater.

Me: It warms my heart that my girls think I have enough style to wear what I do.

Ladies Man: It probably wouldn't warm your heart if your boys did.

No. It wouldn't.

2)
Miss Innocent One ran and kicked through her last Field Day on Wednesday. She wasn't looking forward to it and basically choked in her soccer kick event, but she ran respectably and enjoyed a day in the sunshine with her friends.

Our poor kids. Their parents did not pass them any athletic genes. I'm reminded of my own lackluster abilities every time I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror at my cardio and stability ball class (It's far from pretty, folks. Yesterday I decided it was better to leave my glasses OFF so I wouldn't have to see it!). Our kids never had a chance of being stellar sports competitors. Miss Innocent One expresses the Boesiger athlete angst well.


3) I got an e-mail from Drummer Boy that started out like this:

MOM!

That boy is loud, even in writing.

4) I had a dream the other night where I was getting out of the shower and Miss Innocent One burst into the room saying, "Mom, the limo is here."

Before I could even ask, "What limo?", a teacher from the middle school (who I know pretty well through our kids being friends and family ties) barged right in.

"I'm sorry to do this," she said, seeing me in only a towel feeling very uncomfortable, "but we don't have much time. The limo is downstairs and we've got to go as soon as possible."

"Go where?" I asked.

"I can't tell you, but you need to get ready right away."

She couldn't tell me anything. I had no idea if I should pack for the day or several. I did notice she had three bags, but she couldn't even tell me if she was going with me. Pretty soon Kevin came in on the action, trying to hurry me along too, looking as if he was going to pop from excitement. I peeked out my bedroom window to see hordes of people lined up along my street like they do on Extreme Home Makeover and I flew around in a tizzy wondering what I should or shouldn't take with me.

And then I woke up without ever knowing what the big hairy deal was.

What a rip off.

5) Ladies Man had a stint being Michael Jackson last night at his vocal music concert and was humble enough to take a picture with his mom.


I'm not crazy about this pic so we tried to snap others, but I knew I shouldn't push it during take number three when he said, "You're making me look like a mama's boy."

Apparently that's not cool.

6) Do you ever wonder how telemarketers stay in business in the era of caller id? I rarely pick up the phone if I don't recognize the number. I figure if it's important, they'll leave a message.

Our current policy of not answering, though, is rubbing Drama Queen the wrong way. She takes great delight and pride in stringing the poor unsuspecting callers along with stupid comments. She reasons it makes them think twice about calling again. Maybe, but it just seems mean to me.

7) I'm almost embarrassed to pass along this family dinner conversation. Almost. Every so often parents of adolescents get to return the torment, if you know what I mean, and this one was too easy.

Ladies Man: Dad, Megan Fox's boobs were totally animated in the Transformer movies.

Dad: No they weren't.

Drama Queen: Yes, they were.

Me: Hey, that's what I need--an animator for my boobs. That could really help me out. Well, that or a good bra. This is my best bra. What do you think?

Ladies Man shields his eyes and looks away.

Ladies Man: Are you done yet?

Me: What's the matter? You don't want to think about your mother having boobs?

Ladies Man: No.

Me: But you suckled at my breasts as a baby.

Ladies Man choked. Kevin and I laughed.

Kevin: Which is worse, thinking of you suckling at Mom's breasts, or me suckling at Grandma's breasts?

Ladies Man nearly lost his lunch. Literally.

Drama Queen (in her best sarcastic voice): I think it's a beautiful thing.

She has a quick wit, that girl. Yes, it is a beautiful thing, but it's not an image a fourteen-year-old boy wants to carry with him, I guess. Oh well. It was fun for us to see him squirm!

And so our April concludes (can you believe it?!). If you're looking for some more wholesome Quick Takes, take a peek at Conversion Diary.

A Prayer for Knowledge and Joy

Grant me, even me, my dearest Lord, to know Thee, and love Thee, and rejoice in Thee. And, if I cannot do these perfectly in this life, let me at least advance to higher degrees every day, till I can come to do them in perfection. Let the knowledge of Thee increase in me here, that it may be full hereafter. Let the love of Thee grow every day more and more here, that it may be perfect hereafter; that my joy may be great in itself, and full in Thee. I know, O God, that Thou art a God of truth; Oh, make good thy gracious promises to me, that my joy may be full. Amen.

Augustine of Hippo
taken from the Mosaic Bible, p. 196

More On Marriage As Sanctuary

I love my readers.

You guys keep me on the up and up. A few of you pointed out my epic fail in not mentioning God in a discussion on sanctuary. Thank you!

(In case you've missed the previous posts talking about sanctuary in marriage, you can find them here:7 Quick Takes (Volume 79)--See #4 and Clarifying Marriage as Sanctuary.)

ONLY GOD can meet all our needs. Our spouses can try, but they're human. And we're not always so lovable, are we? We must seek sanctuary with Him FIRST before we try to find it in our marriages. WE MUST FIND OUR SECURITY IN GOD ALONE.

Amen, sister, you better believe it!

Finding sanctuary in our marriages without God will be tough. Very, very tough. Without the Holy Spirit's guidance and strength, our efforts are merely human. Truly the more we seek God, the more we grow closer to each other.

Have you heard the triangle analogy? God is at the very top and each spouse resides in opposite bottom corners. As each party moves closer to God at the top, they shorten the distance between the two of them as well. Our best chances of finding sanctuary in marriage come when both spouses are working on their relationship with Christ. Even if only one spouse appeals to Almighty God, the chances of finding such rest in our marriages improves significantly. "For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband." (1 Corinthians 7:14) Someone needs to be pursuing God to find real sanctuary.

One of you also pointed out that not all people should marry. You are absolutely right. Though God says in Genesis 2: 18, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him," He also says through Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:1, "It is good for a man not to marry." The decision to marry or not is personal between an individual and God. Though our culture doesn't teach it, we would all do well to consider whether God intends for us to be married BEFORE we look for Mr. Right.

We could talk for hours on this subject, but we'd never come up with easy answers. So I conclude this post with God's Word on finding true sanctuary.

Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Psalm 15

May God bless us with sanctuary as we diligently seek Him.



Photo Credit: gail548

A Famine for the Word of God

"The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. ”

Amos 8:11-12

What if we didn't have the word of God?

There would be:
no guidance
no comfort
no call to perseverance
no examples to follow or avoid
no prophecy
no way of knowing if we're pleasing God
no confirmation of who Jesus is
no reassurance
no knowledge of God

I shudder to think of it. We would truly be wandering aimlessly.

Yet I wonder, how many already wander aimlessly because they do not hear God's Word? Shouldn't that affect me? Shouldn't I make it my goal to speak it, to pass it on, to share it?

May I never be accused of being part of the famine. To that end, I leave you with this good news.

. . ."The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Romans 10:8-11

Join this week's host, MiPa at Miriam Pauline's Monologue to see what others thought about this quote.



Photo Credit: Chewy Hooey

Clarifying Marriage As Sanctuary

I feel the need to explain my comments from last Friday's post about marriage being a sanctuary. I understand not everybody feels this in their marriage and I can't say Kevin and I have always had it. My purpose in mentioning it is not to make anyone feel bad about their own relationships, but to point out what marriage CAN be. For me all the hard work and struggle is totally worth it if I'm shooting for sanctuary. Knowing what my relationship CAN be makes me persevere in the tough days.

Saying marriage is a sanctuary does not mean everything is roses and butterflies. Conflict still happens. Feelings still get hurt. Effort is still required from both spouses. But sanctuary is knowing THROUGH the difficulties there is confidence in your position with each other that never changes. Sanctuary is security.

Achieving sanctuary requires a mindset, a firm commitment separate from our emotions, a determination that no matter what, no matter how you FEEL, you will be there for each other. I know some will say, "I have that mindset, but my spouse doesn't." I'm a firm believer in the cyclical nature of marriage. If we consistently behave a certain way, CONSISTENTLY stay committed, the effect will rub off on the other. They'll eventually get it! When we were first married, I had this recurring nightmare where Kevin was placed in a room with a group of women of which I was a part and then told to pick one. I always woke up in a panic at the point where he was to make his decision. You think I questioned my position with him? Remember I called it a NIGHTMARE! But through the years he's CONSISTENTLY shown me he will pick me and I'm finally getting it. My fear is gone. He has made me feel like a priority, which makes me more likely to do that for him, which makes him feel important and return the favor which causes me to work harder for him. . .you get the idea. It only takes one person to get the ball rolling.

If you look at your own marriage this way and call it a sanctuary right now (despite the way it FEELS--I can't stress enough that this is not a feeling!), doesn't it well up in you a desire to protect it and fight for it and build up your relationship at all costs? If I think of my husband not as the annoying guy who never does any laundry, but as my SANCTUARY, I already honor him in my mind and start the cycle of improvement in our relationship.

Sanctuary is God's design for marriage. Why not point that out?! Some may worry I am setting people up with unrealistic expectations and I suppose that is a danger, but I'd rather think of it as giving others a reason to make it work. If we never give people the target, they'll never hit it.

Sanctuary is not endless bliss. It is a mindset, an attitude spurred by commitment, a sense of security. Hard to achieve? Absolutely. A condition reserved for a blessed few? Absolutely not.



Photo Credit: jcoterhals

7 Quick Takes (Volume 79)

1) Ladies Man lived up to his name yet again this week. The kids got out of school early on Wednesday and he asked if he could go out to lunch and then bring a few friends home for the afternoon. He and a buddy sauntered into the house, played around on the computer and then settled on the front porch. I heard them talking and didn't think much of it until I went to draw the blinds. As I raised the blind on the front window a chorus of giggles greeted me. Half a dozen girls swarmed Ladies Man and his friend who sat on the porch swing.

Ladies Man (his voice a few notches lower): Oh, hey Mom, a few people stopped by.

Me: Yeah, I see that. Hi girls.

Giggle, giggle, giggle. . .

Ladies Man: Hey, you guys want to see my electric guitar? Have you seen my gecko? You want some brownies?

Girls: Ohhh, your lizard's so cute. Ohhh, your mom makes the best brownies. Ohhh, ohhh, ohhh, giggle, giggle, giggle. . .

It was too cute. They weren't here long, maybe 30-45 minutes, but I was impressed with Ladies Man's hosting skills. He gave them the perfect amount of attention along with a good dose of testosterone as he encouraged them to play basketball. Is my son a "player?" (For those of you unfamiliar with this term, my kids use it to reference a guy who knows his way around women and dates scads of them.) I'm thankful they were all at my house, so I could keep an eye on him!

2) Speaking of players, my kids informed me this week their grandpa was a player. Ever since he told them the story of dating twins and telling one good night using the wrong name, their impression of him has changed.

Drama Queen: Yeah, Grandpa's totally a player.

Ladies Man: Even you say he has a charm, Mom.

Guilty as charged, but I'd never call him a player. Charming, definitely, but a player. . .I don't know.

3) Apparently the genes have passed down through the generations though. I remember clearly most of Kevin's friends in high school and college were girls. Drummer Boy possesses the same Boesiger charm as his elders, garnering much admiration from older women who find him good-looking, but he has kept women his own age at bay by expressing his appreciation for them in teasing. Ladies Man has me worried though.

Ladies Man (fingering the hair behind his ears): This is starting to curl up back here.

Me: Time for a haircut?

Ladies Man: Nah, chicks dig the curls.

Mental note: Keep encouraging Ladies Man to have friends over to OUR house.

4) I got into a great discussion with a friend the other day over this question, "Why get married?" As I listened to her lament the adjustments marriage requires, the inevitable hard work involved and the learning curve of understanding another person, I considered why I like being married. Only one word came to mind.

Sanctuary.

For me marriage is sanctuary from the outside world, from the pressures of life, from even myself. No matter how bad the day is, I can always go home where I don't have to be anything or anybody. There is safety and security and love honest enough to say, "Tami, just let it be." Life is a continual state of change which is tough for me, but along with God, my husband is a constant. He is always there for me, always loves me, always seeks my best. Sanctuary is worth the struggle of marriage.

I'm curious. What do you think? How would you answer the question, "Why get married?"

5) Miss Innocent One tried her hand at making popcorn on the stove. I'm happy to report no stray kernels escaped all over the kitchen and the end product was beautiful except for a layer on the bottom of the pan that got, shall we say, a little crisp? You must know that Ladies Man takes it upon himself to tell her how to do everything and is never shy about pointing out her mistakes, so when he investigated the aroma from the other room, Miss Innocent One did whatever necessary to avoid his scrutiny.

Ladies Man: Did you burn it?

Miss Innocent One shot me a smirk and quickly stirred the popcorn so the "well done" pieces were covered by lovely pristine white ones.

Me: No, it looks great.

Ladies Man: It smells burned from upstairs.

Miss Innocent One continued stirring.

Me: Nope. See?

Ladies Man: Oh, must just be the pan.

Miss Innocent One's eyes twinkled as he grabbed a handful and left the room. It isn't often she gets to be the one who pulls a fast one on her siblings, but this night, she loved it.

6) We're going to watch Drama Queen at District Music Contest today. She's playing a snare drum solo and a marimba duet. Her solo was written by Drummer Boy who titled it "My Sibling's Abyss" (you think he was trying to say something?) and her marimba duet was arranged by her dad. She sees playing her family's music as nothing unusual. It just goes to show you how your birth family shapes your perspective on the world.

7) Ladies Man announced he was going outside to play basketball and promptly came back in after about thirty seconds.

Ladies Man: I'm done. I played one on one.

Me: Against who?!

Ladies man: One arm versus the other one. Guess which one won?

Miss Innocent One: Your right one.

Ladies Man: Yep. The left one can't shoot like crap, but it can rebound.


And that's what's going on in our house this week, friends. Check out some other Quick Takes posts at Conversion Diary. Have a great weekend!

Awe-Full

Great and holy God
awe and reverence
fear and trembling
do not come easily to us
for we are not
Old Testament Jews
or Moses
or mystics
or sensitive enough.
Forgive us
for slouching into Your presence
with little expectation
and less awe
than we would eagerly give a visiting dignitary.
We need
neither Jehovah nor a buddy--
neither "the Great and Powerful Oz" nor "the man upstairs."
Help us
to want what we need. . .
You
God
and may the altar of our hearts
tremble with delight
at
Your visitation
amen.

by Frederick Ohler
taken from the Mosiac Bible, p. 89



Photo Credit: kern.justin

Appreciating Instead of Comparing

I'd purchased some new clothes so I was feeling pretty good about myself when I walked into my friend's house. But the minute I laid eyes on her and our other good friend, my heart sank. Wow. As always, they looked so good.

I went to an exercise class at the YMCA, proud of myself for working out, happy about the new muscle definition forming in my own body, until I caught sight of the instructor. Throughout the class I admired her toned form, athletic ability and grace. Catching sight of my own awkward reflection in the mirror made me cringe.

Later in the day I envied another woman's tanned skin, flowing hair and perfectly polished nails. Insignificance crept in again. How could I ever get it all together?

But why should the successes of others make me feel small? Why do I let their beauty take away from mine or nullify the positive changes I make? Why do I use their attractiveness as a measuring stick instead of purely enjoying it?

Tell me I'm not alone in this.

Why can't I acknowledge and applaud the beautiful qualities of others the same way I'd marvel at a fine work of art? Why do I project expectations on myself? Why can't I say, "Wow, God, nice job on that sister?!"

Satan has tricked me. But not anymore. I refuse to listen to his taunting, stealing my joy, telling me I'm not good enough. I purpose to notice the beauty in others and praise our Lord for His stunning work. I plan to look on with a smile, soaking in the handiwork of a creative God. I'll even peer into the mirror finding something nice instead of focusing on my own weaknesses.

I will appreciate instead of compare.

I will delight in her gorgeous green eyes, her flawless skin, her sculpted nose, her muscular arms. I will enjoy the curl in her hair, her pleasing proportions, her bright smile. I will praise God for His masterpiece without relating it me.

Will you join me? Will you help raise an army of appreciative women unified in recognizing God's finest work, instead of establishing ineffective bodies closed off in the loneliness of comparison?

Will you appreciate instead of compare?

The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.

Psalm 45:11

How Dare You!

If monotony tries me, and I cannot stand drudgery; if stupid people fret me and little ruffles set me on edge; if I make much of the trifles of life, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

What Do I Know of Calvary Love?
by Amy Carmichael

Ow, Ow, OW!

How dare you, Amy Carmichael, calling me out like that!

Are you saying if I don't have patience and a long suffering spirit I truly don't understand Christ's sacrifice?

Are you saying I'm too concerned about my own comfort?

Are you saying there's no room for pansies in Christendom?

Are you saying quit your complaining and get to work?

Are you saying I'm self-centered and egotistical when I sweat the small stuff?

Sadly yes.

How dare you bring this guilt trip on me, pointing out what I like to term human frailties and suggesting I'm a spoiled brat. Do you know nothing of charity and mercy?

And yet I imagine Jesus watching me, witnessing my little pity parties, my temper tantrums, my over the top reactions to minor inconveniences and thinking the same thing with a tear in his eye.

How dare you, Tami.

How dare you get tripped up in the little things when I gave so much. How dare you get caught up in the meaningless and temporary, thinking you deserve better. Have I not already given you all? Is there anything more important than life everlasting with Me?

And He is right, of course. What I deserve is life in hell. His MERCY gave me an alternative.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:29-32

Join this week's host, Patricia at Typing One-Handed for more thoughts on this quote.



Photo Credit: pm107uk

But you don't tell God no.

She knows what the task is, but she's tired of it. She doesn't feel adequate for the job. So many others do it better. Why would God ask her?

But you don't tell God no.

He's not sure he has it in him to start over. Isn't he too old to learn a new job?

But you don't tell God no.

She's raised her kids. It doesn't make any sense why God would put another on her heart.

But you don't tell God no.

He's tired and spent a portion of every day off in the office. Each evening he finishes tasks on his laptop. Why must there always be something to do?

But you don't tell God no.

The nursing home is depressing and full of people who seem lost. Why must aging be so challenging?

But you don't tell God no.

For years she's asked God to provide relief, yet He tarries. Why? Why must she feel stuck in this place? Why won't He let her move on?

But you don't tell God no.

Like a young child who thrashes about when getting a shot, our fighting with God only makes the ordeal more painful. Two words must bring a smile to His face.

"Okay, Lord."

We don't have to like it. We don't have to feel good about it. We only have to trust Him and say okay.

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me. he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."

Luke 9:23-24

7 Quick Takes (Volume 78)

1) It's been one of those blah, in-a-funk weeks again. (No one's keeping score of these on their calendar, are they? It may be a dead giveaway for when "grandma comes to visit" and having the entire blogosphere aware of my biological cycles is just creepy.) I've noticed my husband gets into funks of his own, but his only come about once a year instead of every few weeks. Standing up while peeing and having the blues only annually--men get all the breaks.

2) My sister's birthday was Monday and because we live nearly three hours apart, we rarely get to celebrate it, but this year we scrapped everything else and met for lunch halfway between our towns. We've always been very different. One of our first pictures taken together clearly illustrates it.


She is witty and fun-loving. I'm more quiet and contemplative. I'm black-haired, brown-eyed. She's a blue-eyed blond. We've had rough times (the adolescent years were the worst) where our differences separated us. Frankly, I had a hard time with all the guys asking me if my little sister would go out with them! I mean, c'mon, look at her! I understood it, but it didn't make it any easier.


But as we've grown, our similarities emerged. We both have four kids. We both feel driven to pursue a passion. We look at life through a common lens. As I reflect upon our lives as sisters, I am thankful. I have many friends, but only my sister knows everything about who I am and where I've come from. We possess a lifetime of memories together--being Sonny and Cher for the cows (guess who was who!), singing into deodorant bottles in the bathroom, laughing in bed until the wee hours of the morning (or until Dad stomped on the floor above us).


I love you, Teri. Thanks for literally always being there.

And watch out for this woman, folks. She reminds me a lot of Sarah Palin. This fall she starts law school! I guarantee you'll see her name in politics in the future. I'm proud of her!

3) Proving herself the authority on yet another subject, Drama Queen demonstrated to Ladies Man a nuance on the classic eye roll.

Kevin: You look like you're having a seizure.

Drama Queen: Dad, you shouldn't joke about a thing like that. After all, you've had two kids who've had them.

Ladies Man: Yeah, thanks a lot, Dad, my self-esteem points just went down.

Kevin (whispering to me with his own nuance on the eye roll): How come no one ever worries about our self-esteem points?

4) As I predicted, Drama Queen couldn't take it and started her own blog, Livin' Out Loud (GREAT suggestion, Linda. It totally fits her.). For a girl who always complains about being the victim in our family, her first blog post made me think her life's not all that bad. I did have to laugh though as she worked on her first entry.

"Writing blog posts is HARD!" she whined.

It took everything in me not to say, "Welcome to my world, babe."

5)
We've been living with this monstrosity taking up half the dining room table for a week now. It's a roller coaster Drama Queen and some of her friends rigged up for a Physics project. A little marble starts at the top of the post and travels the length of the coaster, stopping slow enough not to break an egg at the end of the course. They worked on it for several weeks and I was delighted when she brought it home to show us, but I'm wondering how long we have to live with it. It's novelty has worn off now. When does the dismantling begin, Drama Queen?! I love you, babe, but this thing's cramping my style.

6) Ladies Man complained about how much homework he had and then a friend called to remind him about another quiz.

Ladies Man: Now I have to study for that too! I'll never have any free time tonight!

Maybe I'm a rotten mother, but he got no sympathy from me. I spent the day before running around so crazy I had to squeeze a shower in between supper and Bible study.

Me: Some days are like that.

Ladies Man only growled. I know it will be a hardship not chatting it up with his peeps on Facebook, but hey, SOME DAYS ARE LIKE THAT!

Or as Kevin is fond of saying, "Buck up and be a Boesiger!"

7) Drama Queen and Ladies Man were out playing basketball last night when it started raining. They didn't let it deter their fun and came back in soggy, but full of laughs.


These two are starting to have way too much fun together. Ladies Man will join her next year in high school and I worry Miss Innocent One will get left in the dust. Pray for her, people, and for Kevin and me. These two as a team can be a force to reckon with!

That's all this chicky has this fun Friday, folks (try to say that five times really fast!). Catch some other Quick Takes posts at Conversion Diary.

Why Hurt May Linger

Little things pick away at the scab of an old wound--a memory, an innocent comment, a face, a scripture passage, a phrase, a train of thought. Why? Why now? Why still?

God whispers.

Come near. Listen. I'm working and it may hurt a little, but know I am working. You will be better for it. Hold on. Draw close.

Trust Me.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11

Fix your eyes on Jesus and endure.



Photo Credit: jkostermann

How God Works Miracles

I'm nothing special.

No doubt you feel the same way about yourself.

My life is very ordinary. I don't have impressive credits, extraordinary abilities or even a job title. What I do have is a willing spirit, a heart that wants to make God smile.

God can use small ingredients to make big miracles happen: fabric and thread to lift hope in the sick, five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand hungry people, and faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain. Shouldn’t we give all that we have to God just to see what He might do with it?

What I Learned From God While Quilting
Ruth McHaney Danner and Cristine Bolley

I don't have to be the smartest, the most eloquent, strong, talented or insightful. A willing spirit is enough. God multiplies my meager efforts, molding them into something useful and beautiful.

God works miracles with a willing spirit.

Will you be willing? Want to see a miracle?

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51:10-12

Visit Nina at Mama's Little Treasures to see what ideas this quote sparked in others.



Photo Credit: fs999

A Very Good Husband

Feeling the angst of an anticipated bad hair day, I complained, "I've got Betty Rubble hair again."

Kevin whipped out his laptop and proceeded to google Wilma Flintstone, running across some pictures of her and Betty.

"See," he said, "Wilma was the matronly one. Betty was the young, sexy one."


I just stared at him.

"Wasn't she?" he asked.

I don't know, but STELLAR answer, babe!

7 Quick Takes (Volume 77)

1) We enjoyed a fantastic Easter. We started it at church with a special service full of wonderful music (Nice work, honey!) and great preaching. I must admit I have a hard time fully comprehending God's great sacrifice and gift to me. There is no human convention to compare it to. It is mind blowing. So I thank Him for His love, praise Him wholeheartedly, and ask for better understanding. Truly, God is good!

After church we went to my mom's house and celebrated with my side of the family. It was a blast hanging out with my kin (oh brother, how old does that make me sound?!). The kids had fun with their cousins, the guys played cards and the girls hung out talking and laughing. And of course, there was plenty of eating. GREAT time.

And if we weren't full enough, towards evening we headed over to Kevin's sister's house to spend time with his side of the family. We have some terrific conversations with these people and Easter was no exception. It's a good thing the kids didn't have school the next day because we had so much fun there we didn't leave until after midnight!

Gracious God, beautiful day, lovely people, good laughs, great food. What else could a person ask for?

2) We had the great fun of keeping our nephews last Saturday. The five-year-old regaled us with stories about preschool and some kid they chase called "Cheesy Wookie Head." He watched a squirrel crawl across our neighbor's roof and said he doesn't give squirrels names, but he does name the dead deer his dad shoots--Clint and Grass. Here he is with Ladies Man (who you can see is pretty proud of his cousins), telling me he couldn't look at me because it hurt his eyes. (Should I take that personally?)


I wish I could illustrate how that kid has his daddy's ears. It's too funny (Love you, Jason!). Meanwhile this guy's little brother kept us in stitches as he determined to fight off sleep while eating an ice cream cone. You can tell he's a little tuckered out here.


Aren't these the biggest blue eyes you've ever seen?!


Only a two-year-old would try to eat it from ALL sides of the cone.


He's getting droopy.


Finally I couldn't take it anymore and asked him, "Are you done, buddy?"

"Uh huh," he answered, sounding relieved. Then he crawled into Ladies Man's lap and promptly fell asleep.


3) Drama Queen was bragging she had the best eyesight in the house, when Ladies Man stepped in.

Ladies Man: Oh yeah, well I have 20/20 hearing.

Drama Queen: I have 50/50 hearing. I only hear what I want to hear.

4) We've got blog fever at our house. Last week when I was reading the kids my Quick Takes, Drama Queen and Ladies Man both said, "I want a blog!" Drummer Boy already has one called The Drummer Diaries and this week Ladies Man beat his sister to the punch creating The Canvas of a Teenager. I was pretty impressed with his title as he spends all his free time in art-related projects. So far he hasn't posted too much, but I have a feeling there may be lots of sketches and videos coming up. I'll let you know when Drama Queen gets going. I don't imagine it will be too long. She can't stand the thought of anybody one upping her.

5) Apparently there's a Marvel superhero which has my maiden name--Kubik.


I'm diggin' the long lean muscular look this creature has, but I'm not so crazy about the weird alien head thing it has going on. The description of this character says:

Height
Variable (hmmm, very interesting)

Weight
Variable (no kidding!)

Powers
Infinite: Kubik could manipulate reality without any apparent limit. Reality remains restructured until Kubik consciously alters it: reality does not revert to an unaffected state after any time interval or in an event Kubik was to lose consciousness.

Abilities
Kubik has the ability of telepathy and could manipulate extra-dimensional energy to his will, he was also capable of inter-dimensional teleportation, and travel at warp speed.

So technically I could be an alien creature with superpowers who can manipulate reality and energy at my will.

Just so you know. Watch your step around me, people. Kubik could change your reality!

6) Do you remember candy cigarettes? Drama Queen remembered seeing them at some time, but we had to explain them to Ladies Man and Miss Innocent One.

Miss Innocent One: What did they look like?

Me: They were white and long and skinny with a red tip at the end.

Miss Innocent One: What did they taste like?

Me: I don't know. There's no other candy around that tastes they did. They kind of melted in your mouth.

Kevin: They were kind of chalky. I didn't have them very much. We weren't allowed to buy them.

Me: We had them all the time. You'd put them between your fingers like you were really smoking and suck on the ends of them and they slowly disintegrated and got shorter.

The kids just looked at us like we were nuts. To imagine anyone wanting to encourage smoking in that way was totally foreign to them. As I type this I remember they were powdery on the outside and if you got the powder on your lips just right and blew softly you could simulate the smoke coming out of your mouth too. Kevin and I laughed as we reflected how ridiculous it sounded just talking about it.

Whose bright idea was that anyway?!

7) My kids have been driving me crazy in a new way. They came home from youth group with turkey calls and use them in weird conversations. In Drama Queen's case, think Donald Duck on steroids. Here's a taste (Facebook readers, you'll have to click on View Original Post to see the video):


Do you feel sorry for me yet? Seriously, I really do appreciate the fun-loving nature of my kids. There's no lack of entertainment at our house.

And that's another week in the Boesiger house. Catch some other Quick Takes posts at Conversion Diary. Have a great weekend!

A Great Word

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:12-17

Make it so, Lord. Make it so.

Lessons Learned From My Computer Fast

I CAN live without my computer.
Who knew?! I surprised myself in how little I missed it.

I use my computer in more ways than I realized.
It's not only for email, blogging and Facebook. I discovered I use it in habitual ways I didn't even think about--checking the weather, scoping out what's playing at the movies, finding out the pollen counts, paying bills, rehearsing music for church, finding recipes, researching for Bible study, googling anything under the sun. No wonder I became dependent upon it.

I waste time on my computer.
Okay, this isn't exactly news. Anybody with a Facebook account understands how much time can be killed on that site alone, but constantly reading any new e-mail that pops in or getting lost in bunny trails while researching steals chunks of time with little effort.

I save time on my computer.
This is not my lame attempt to justify using my beloved machine. Do you know how much faster I can type than write? LOTS faster. It's easier to check for movie showings with a few clicks than turn through pages of the newspaper or look up the phone number to give them a call. I kill many birds with the stone of one e-mail. Any possible information I could want is all at my fingertips.

It's not necessary (or practical) to read every single status change of every Facebook friend.
I like to see what's going on in your lives (or maybe I'm just super nosy), so I often spent a considerable amount of time sifting through Facebook. Sometimes it's relaxing, but often it eats up WAY too much of my time. There are other ways to connect with people, like actually TALKING to them! Don't be offended if I don't comment on all your clever updates. I probably missed it.

There are ways to use my computer more efficiently.
Preparing for this fast, I wrote four blog posts in one day. FOUR! Why can't I do that every week? Why can't I set aside a time for blog writing instead of squeezing it in late at night or early in the morning? Doing the same with Facebook and blog reading may help too.

It's easy to feel out of touch when not online.
On Friday, friends were having fun on Facebook with one of my notes and I was out of the loop. It's like being the little girl who hears about the awesome Saturday night slumber party Monday morning. Now this is not the worst thing to happen, but I realize being online helps me stay connected.

It is possible get more rest and relaxation.
This was my most surprising revelation. Without access to my computer, I couldn't spend evenings writing blog posts or returning emails. Instead, I parked it on my couch (gasp!), read the paper and generally let myself wind down in the evenings. LOVELY! Instead of catching up on Facebook at bedtime, I went to bed! This alone was worth the few days away.

I need to use the tool, not let the tool use me.
My wise friend asked how this fast will change how I use my computer. I hadn't thought about it, but her question made me consider how to take charge of my computer. To that end, I decided some new ground rules were in order:

I will fast from my computer on Sundays.
A day off would be refreshing and allow for the relaxation I found I really liked and for more engaged time with my family. Plus it forces me to be more efficient on the other days.

I will set aside one afternoon a week for blog writing.
It may not be enough to finish the posts for a week, but it will certainly help in freeing up some evening time when my family is home.

I will check my e-mail less frequently.
I usually leave my e-mail on continually, but I've decided to close it even while working on my computer to allow for more focused time. Instead of taking a peek whenever I hear the ding of a new message, I'll check it at set times of the day. A few minutes saved here and there could add up to an hour, you know.

I honestly enjoyed my computer fast and found it well worth the effort. I encourage you to give it a shot if you never have. Some of you e-mailed and said you were going to try it too. What were your observations? What did you learn? How will you use the tool better?

May God continue to teach us. Have a lovely day, friends!



Photo Credit: kodomut

I am a Wretch

Amazing Grace
How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost
but know am found.
Was blind, but now I see.

Sadly, I am a wretch.

Most likely you are too.

Though I've known Jesus over thirty years, I still impatiently growl at putzy drivers in front of me. I still yell at my kids in frustration. I don't always think the best of people and make snap, unfair judgments. My hormones get the best of me. The words coming out of my mouth are not always lovely. I justify bad habits. I think of myself way more than I think of others. I skip time with God to check Facebook. I get angry when I don't think I'm given my due. My first thought of every morning is not gratitude to God. I spend more time getting ready in the morning than I spend on my knees in prayer.

As Todd Friel put it, "I am the wretch the song refers to."

I need a Savior.

You need a Savior.

Praise God He's provided one.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Titus 3:4-8

He washes me. He renews me. He teaches me. He pours out His grace.

There's hope for me yet.

Thank You, Lord!


For more interpretations of this quote, visit Esthermay at The Heart of a Pastor's Wife.


Photo Credit: Eric in SF