Our Christmas Card

Here it is...

our Christmas card this year.

Right here on your computer screen.

As likely as it would be that we were too lazy to send them out, that isn't the case.

As likely as it would be that we were being cheap by not sending them out, that isn't the case.

As likely as it would be that we were too late to make mailing them worth the effort, that isn't the case.

This year, we just chose different.

As a family, we've decided to make some changes with purpose.

And one of those involved our Christmas cards.

...and this is coming from a girl who loves Christmas cards and all the beautiful, sentimental things they embody...

We decided to take the large small sum of money that we would use in printing cards and mailing them to make a small large difference in the life of a person. 

Actually a family. Or two.

We chose to buy a water filter for a family on the other side of the world so that parents can give their children the gift of clean, drinkable water this Christmas.

 Somewhere, the is a mother who loves her children, much like me.  

She wants good for them, much like me.  

She wants health for them, much like me.  

And clean water, unlike me.  

You see, I give my children water each day. 

 It's clean.  

I've never worried otherwise. 

Now, that mother can give her child(ren) and her husband and herself clean water. 

It's a small gift from me: a wealthy girl in a wealthy country.

But its a big gift for her: a impoverished woman in a poverty-stricken country.

Really, this is nothing big.  Nothing new.  Many of you do things like this each day.  I'm not trying to act like we are any different or receive any praise.  It's really not about me.  But in it not being about me (huh?), I really wanted to be able to show off my family.
This is a win, win for me: utilize technology to send you love and use our financial resources elsewhere.

So as our family and friends, we want to say thank you for loving us so much that we feel free to love others as we've been called.
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has not pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? {1 John 3:17}

And maybe if you feel led, you could buy a water filter {or two}, or sheep, or a blanket, as well.  Because wouldn't it be fun to be part of the group that takes what the Lord has given us and distributes it all over the world?

Hoping you have a wonderful Christmas. Much love to you.


Celebrating,
Brad, Ashley, Noah, Kayt and Emery

Our photo was taken by my ever talented brother, Blake.  You should use him, too. 

Advent: Simple and Focused

This year, for the season of Advent, I attempted to break some of the truths of Jesus coming into bite-sized portions for us to address, in detail, as a family.  For 12 days, we will focus on one principle for a two-day period.  Only choosing six is also build in grace for Brad and I, knowing that we may need more time for one truth or may have nightly interferences.  

Mind you, this is really basic.  And it doesn't just cover the anticipation of Christ's arrival like many advent activities, but also His life.  That was just what I chose, based on the ages of our children and wanting to talk through the entire prophecy and it's fulfillment. 

I found pre-drawn pictures online that we are using, but I don't know where I found them, I didn't document the link. Darn.  But, you could have your children draw a picture along with each lesson, search for clip art to use, or do something all together different.   This is the most simple, basic way that I could come up with and it will give me a launching pad for years to come. My guess is that we will not do Advent exactly the same way any two years in a row.  There are also many great children's books out there to use. I just chose to use what we already had.  

Day 1:

Prophecy

Telling of something to come

Give an example of prophecy and let each person do it. Prophets throughout scripture told the people of a great gift to come and people waited with anticipation on this gift. 

Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah 11:1-2

Color the stump with the shoot

Day 2:

Preparation

Everything was set in perfect place for Christs coming. God was preparing the world for it's savior. 

John 1:1-9

Color the world

Day 3:

Proclamation

The angels proclaimed the good news

Luke 1:26-38

Color Mary and Joseph

Day 4:

Jesus' Birth

Remember Jesus’ Birth

Luke 2:1-7

Color the cradle

Day 5:

Jesus Life and Now

Jesus came to allow us to know him and know his father.  He left the Holy Spirit behind to teach us and speak His truth to our hearts

John 20:31

Color the heart

Day 6:

Jesus to come

Jesus is the light of the world and he will come again

John 8:12

Color the star

We will hang ours with twine on a simple 'tree' made of branches from our yard that will serve as our table's center piece.  More beauty in the representation than the item. 

There you have it. 

Simple and focused. 

Two words I hope hold true for my life.  

Compelling Grace

I must have been six... maybe seven.  A first grader, I know.  My parents gained income after moving to a new, big city by my mother providing care for the children of a family transferred with us.  I wanted to that baby to want me.  To need me.  I wanted someone to need me because I felt so lost in that season.  I distinctly remember walking into the room where she had been asleep in a play pen (because things were not so fancy at that time for the name Pack-n-Play to have been coined.  It was simply, play pen.), but she was now awake.  I reached my hands, that I thought had much more age and authority than in actuality, out to her wanting her to reach back for me, but she didn't.  The baby didn't need me.  And she definitely didn't want me.  But I longed for that. So I sinned. I did something I knew was wrong.  I reached and pinched the baby.  I hurt her with the sole purpose of comforting her.  She began to cry, as I knew she would.  But this time when I extended my arms, she reached back.  Just as I needed her to.  I became the baby's comfort.


This morning, I watched my youngest point to drops of water that had spilled from her cup onto the ottoman.  I took her to the kitchen, gave her a rag and led her back to the spill.  She used the rag to wipe up the mess.  She made the mess disappear.  And so she repeated it.  Only this time, not an accident.  She poured the water, one drip at a time with purpose.  To clean it.  To make it right.  Pure.  She knew she shouldn't, but she, already, likes the role of making things right.  Being the rescuer.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.


What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 


The concept makes sense to our feeble minds.  God offers grace.  Grace is good.  But it is not a token for sin.  It is an extension of his love.  Of his kindness.  Of his son. 
But do we live as though this truth resonates deeply within us?


We make choices, as believers in the truth of Jesus Christ, knowing, subconsciously, that grace will be extended.  At that point, we miss it.  The goal of grace.  The purpose of his extension of goodness to our hearts.  His grace should compel us.  


If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 


His grace, lovely and unable to match with words, compels us to want to be more... more like Him.  The giver of all things good.  The one who graciously carved us out of nothing, to make us heirs.  


It's fair for me to know that if I accept his grace, it I stay as I am, if I continue in a life of sin, a life of anything less than learning daily to be like Him, maybe I don't understand grace. Or grace in it's fullness. 


For the love of Christ is enough to compel me to love the most unloveable.  And the grace of Christ is enough to drive me further and further from the me of old and closer and closer to the new of Him, to wisdom and purity and goodness that can fill my heart through Christ alone.  


So I ask myself this morning, am I pinching?  Am I spilling?  All with a need.  The need to comfort.  The need to clean and purify and rescue.  Because even if I do good things, without the forethought of Christ they are just that... good things.  But if I walk in a state of acknowledgment of his grace extended to me and it compels me to extend anything lovely to others, then that, is grace understood.  Grace lived.  Further from the things of old. Old me. Old ways. Old patterns. Old tendencies.  And closer to the things of new.  New love. New compassion.  New mercy.  New grace.  New beauty.  Christ. 


The one who makes all things new. 


  “From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, ‘Yes, I knew of them.’ You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open. Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth. For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely. See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.


As I love my husband, if I do it for his returned love, I fail.  I love him as I have been loved by Christ and I hope to extend the same manor of grace to him.  If I comfort and encourage my children for the goal of self-confident children, I fail.  I comfort and encourage them because of the comfort and encouragement that I have received from Christ and I want to extend the same grace to them. If I welcome my family into my home because I want them to be impressed anything I offer, I fail.  I welcome people into my home because I have been welcomed into a kingdom that doesn't parish, spoil, or fade and I was adopted into that kingdom, not a natural born child... so I want to extend that same loving, gracious welcome. If I enjoy my friends because I want to keep them, I fail.  I enjoy them because God has offered enjoyment, satisfaction through him alone and I want to extend that same grace.  


With a heart purposely set on acknowledging the ongoing gift of grace, I hope that the Lord allows me to walk in a state of grace.  


Offering only what he has already offered.  


Nothing thought up. 
Nothing of me.  


Only of him. 


For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.


Grace accepted and understood compels us. 
Compelling grace. 

25 Days to Remember

This is our family's Christmas countdown calendar!  

And it's full of fun family activities that I thought I would share. 

The kids excitedly open the corresponding card each morning... it's the first thing they do when they crawl out of bed.
This is what each of our cards say:

1- Make a chain to count down the days until Jesus birth

2- Fancy Dress Dinner: Choose your own fancy attire for a fun family dinner

3- Make Christmas Cookies (make extra)

4- Package and take cookies to the neighbors

5-Make snowflakes to decorate the windows

6- Sing and Dance to Christmas music... you choose the tunes

7- Write 10 things you are thankful for and post it where everyone can see

8- Candlelight Bubble Bath

9- Read "Let it Snow" and play with snow inside! (snow=shaving cream)

10- Go to Pop and DeDe's to help them with a chore

11- Shop for our Angel Tree family

12- Make Christmas Cards for 3 friends

13- Play musical chairs to Christmas music

14- Do something kind for someone today

15- Go out to dinner and go visit Santa (this is Emery's birthday so it will be a fun night out for us)

16- Have popcorn and play a board game

17- Make edible gifts for the birds and squirrels to hang from the trees in the backyard

18- Have hot chocolate and read a Christmas story by the fire

19- Watch a movie from the tent in the living room

20- Go look at lights! (and get a special Christmas drink)

21- Use your money from December chores to go buy Christmas gifts for your family

22- Go out to breakfast! (I was planning to do breakfast in bed, but our friend, P, comes to clean that day so we will be going out instead)

23- Wrap and decorate your Christmas gifts (this year we are wrapping all gifts in brown craft paper/paper bags and the kids get to decorate them)

24-Birthday party for Jesus! Make special treats to take to your family. We will be making these.

25- Spend time as a family thanking God for the greatest gift, his son!

And that is what we, the Ingram Gang, will be doing in the days leading up to Christmas Day.

Of course this is created around our schedule.  Brad and I have several parties this month, so on those days... the less time consuming activities.  I put most outings on the weekends so that we can block time for them.  The actives are basically the same, but the nights have changed from what we did last year. 

For me, I made a run to Dollar Tree earlier in the week and purchased the following:

-shaving cream

-construction paper

-bubble bath

-pretzels

I had everything else on hand

This is just a great way for us to ensure special family time (during a season that has the potential to be overly busy) as we talk to our children and help them prepare for the coming birth, advent... if you will.  

This week our family verse is Luke 3:4 "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight"

And that is what we plan to do:  

remember the gift that brought grace and mercy packaged in flesh.

Sharing laughs and conversation with my family is just one of the ways I can live in a state of remembrance.

I have also planned out Advent activities for the 12 days leading up to Christmas that I can share if anyone is interested.  This will be our first season to do an Advent tree and evening devotions.  Brad and I agreed on 12 in the days right before Christmas Day because of the age and attention span of our children.  Maybe someday soon, we will use the entire Advent season.  

Happy Month of Preparing the Way!

The Filter

I'm really thankful right now for something the Lord began to show me some time ago.  And that's just the way of the Lord.  He's tender to our hearts even before we know we need his tenderness.  He often teaches me things or prepares me in ways I couldn't conjure to know I need preparing.  

The comfort I'm finding right now is in knowing that I am not my childrens filter. 

I want desperately to guard their ears.  Their minds.  Their eyes.  Their bodies.  

If it were up to me, they would not be apart of anything that wasn't true or noble or right or pure or lovely or excellent or praiseworthy or... well, you get it.  I would shelter them in a bubble.  

But I can't.  

And I don't.  

It's impossible.

And even if I tried, I would fail. 

Because of that, I find comfort in knowing that I don't have to be the filter through which everything is censored when it comes to my children.  I can trust the Lord for that.  He is the one who created their eyes, minds, bodies, ears and all of those sweet little things that I want to protect.  And heaven knows that he wants them guarded.  

So as I release my eldest into the big, open sea that is kindergarten, I find myself falling onto the soft sand that is Jesus.  I trust the Lord with Noah.  After all, He made him. And I can trust that though friends may not prove to be friends, and inappropriate phrases will be said, and other children won't treat their siblings with the love that we expect in our home, and the voice of the world will become even louder around Noah... that the Lord can filter what he hears, feels, understands, and sees.  He is a better filter than I could ever be, even on my most protective days. 

My prayers have turned to sound like this, "Lord, guard my children's eyes and minds and bodies and hearts and emotions.  Don't let them hear what is being said.  Let them hear you.  Keep their eyes from noticing things aside from your splendor...."

And as we do walk this road, we will have even more chances to talk with our children about our need for a Savior.  Because if there is only one thing that my children should see, it isn't that they are designed for perfection or goodness... they are designed to need a Rescuer.  A Savior.  And they are learning that our Savior isn't an idea or a theory.  He is an intimate knitter.  And a great filter!

If Not You, Then Who?

As a mother, as a wife, as a friend, as a daughter, as an attender, as a leader, as a member, as a follower...

I have a calling.

I pray for my husband and children in ongoing, raw, needy ways.  I ask the Lord for the small details of their life to be worked out.  I ask the Lord for the big, obstacles to fade in light of him.  I ask for clarity. I ask the Lord for friendships and relationships that will build them up.  I ask for their healing.  I ask for their hearts and eyes to be protected.  I ask for Jesus to speak in radical ways during their days.  I ask for their hearts to be drawn to him.  I ask for their rest to be good.  I ask that their dreams would be from Him.  I ask for their laughter to be plentiful.  I ask for future events.  I ask for everything.

I ask, because if not me, then who?

That's why I petition.

I pray for my husband as a pastor, a shepherd, an employee.  I ask that the Lord would work through him.  If not me asking, then who?

Who else has my husband and children on their hearts as often as me?

This life is tough and this world is mean.  Satan is prowling.  Our battles are NOT against flesh and blood.  They are bigger. They are spiritual.  Just read Ephesians 6.  If our battle is in the spiritual realm, than our defense must be, as well.  How do we battle in the spiritual?  We pray. We wage war.  We speak truth.  We claim scripture.  We trust Jesus.

Knowing this, I want life for my family.  I want Jesus to be powerful in them.  I want unity among us.  I want to make an impact in the lives of people, everyone we encounter.  People matter to Jesus.  I pray for them.  I ask for hearts of stone to be replaced with new hearts.  I ask for days of bitterness to be redeemed with joy.  I ask for marriages to be restored. I ask for healing, knowing that it is a mere glimpse of the power that we will one day experience in heaven.

But I pray most for my family.
Brad
Noah
Kayt
Emery

If I don't fight for them in the spiritual, then who will?
It's my calling as a wife and mother.  It's my joy as a lover of Jesus.
I pray short prayers.  I speak one word prayers.  I pray lengthy prayers coupled with tears.  I pray repetitive prayers.

It's not the format that matters,  it's the heart of one that knows their calling, understands that our struggles and battles are real, and realizes that victory lies in Jesus.  My prayers may not be answered as I would choose, but I never want it to be for a lack of asking.  And through my prayers, my heart is drawn to the Lord's faithfulness and the fact that he hears me.  "But as for me, the NEARNESS of God is MY GOOD." 

Who prays for your husband everyday?
Who prays for you everyday?
Who prays for your children everyday?
Your mother? Your father?
Your grandparents? Your friends?
Your church? Your leaders?  Your students?

If not you, then who?

For All Mothers:

Resounding questions among mothers who want to raise their children in the ways of the Lord often sound like:  what can I do? how do I do it? where do I start?  I get that.  Brad and I are learning daily what it means to grow our children up in knowledge and truth.  I'm a novice mother.  With less than five years of experience, I constantly ask the Lord for insight.   I claim to know nothing.  But, like most of you, I know the One from whom it all flows.  Praise the Lord that he isn't leaving us mothers behind as we journey.  Amen? Even Isaiah 40 reminds us that he gently leads those that have young.  It is a beautiful thing to be on a new adventure with the one who wrote the story.  You know what I'm sayin'?

In that, I would be wrong in saying that I don't use resources.  I do. We do.  God has allowed me to 'stumble' (I use that term very loosely because it was his placement that led me to them) upon some great resources.  And I have several favorites that I would love to share with you.  But before that I think it is vitally important to remind myself (and you) that our children learn mostly from our faith; the way we interact with others, handle adversity and stress, the words we choose to use in our home, the way we speak to and over our children, the way we love (our spouse, our family, our children, our neighbors) and the value that we place on people.  I mess up a lot as a mother.  I choose to give way to my flesh, but I am journeying in surrendering my flesh to the Lord and carrying the cross of my calling, motherhood.  It's a cross, no doubt.  No a burden, but a cross. A role set out for women to step into so that we can train up disciples.  And that is my role.  Simply put, my home is a place where disciples are being trained... me included.  I use that as my mental reference point when it comes to discipline. The purpose of discipline is to make a disciple.   Does the discipline used in your home reflect your heart's calling to make a disciple of each child?  That is what I ask myself.  I can attest, firsthand, that when my mind wanders from that point of reference, the answer is no.  But when I can ask myself that, I choose words and ways that are in line with the Lord.  Just like in Jonah 4, the Lord reminded Jonah that he should not be angry with the vine that he did not tend.  If I am not tending my children: leading them, teaching them, and pruning them, then what right do I have to be angry with them when they make poor choices?

So without further rambling, here are a few of our choices of favorite resources to use at home.

~~I really like and most often use The Village Church online resources:
It's good stuff.  They have it laid out clearly and with a new year rolling, now would be a good time to jump on board.  They have Developmental Guides that you can use to teach age appropriately.  They have a fun, colorful Memory Verse Calendar that is great.  My favorite part of it is that they put each month's verse to music.  We love singing our scriptures.  Trust me, we are all thankful that I'm not making up the songs anymore.  Our church, Hillside Christian Church, is fabulous and the pre-school department gives great resources to parents.  We always aim to stay caught up with what our children are learning in church and reiterate those values.  It is very important to me that we intertwine everything learned within the walls of my church with what takes place in my home.  I know other churches give great resources, also.   Stay up to date.  Ask questions, recite scriptures and sing the same songs that they sing at church.  One reason that I chose to share The Village Church resource is because it is online and accessible, making it easy for anyone to use.  Plus, the months ahead are clearly mapped out and I like that.  We deviate from it some, but overall, it's great!

~~Our Bible of choice is a new one.  My fabulous sister in law gave it to Emery for Christmas and I am so glad that she did.  We now use it most.  It is the Jesus Storybook Bible.  It is written in a beautiful, flowing story, like scripture was/is intended.  I've been asked by friends what to do if a mother isn't a trained teacher.  All I can say is that I wouldn't consider myself to be a trained teacher.  In fact, there isn't much I would consider myself adequately trained in so my encouragement would be to let scripture come to life while you read with your children.  Scripture is living and active, allow it to be so in your home.  Talk about, pray through it, allow it to be age appropriate and let the Lord speak to the hearts of your children through scripture.  We aren't reading about a God who is distant and inaccessible.  Remember that and act as such while you read.  Another important thing is our home is to acknowledge the Bible as 'God's Holy Word.'  That is what it is and I want my children to revere that.

~~Though I don't read many parenting books, I have read a few.  My favorite: the Bible.  Seriously.  My second favorite was told to me by a great friend.  Loving Our Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk.  It's a good read.  With all parenting books I say, take the good nuggets, leave the inapplicable and use it to open and shape your heart to be for your child.


~~ Be for them.  Allow your heart to connect to theirs.  Know them and let them know you.  Then, and only then, can you guard one another's hearts.


And these are a few of my favorites.  I could talk about this subject all day.  But for the sake of sounding redundant or like I know any more than God's grace has allowed, I choose to stop there.  What about you? What are your family favorites?  Teach me, teachers!

Thinking Thankful

My eyes are heavy, but my heart is full. Jesus makes my cup runeth over.  All morning, I've been reciting a portion of Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  Without having read these words recently, they've been running through my mind all day. And the truth is, it's true.  The Lord is my leader, my trust, my hope, my maker, my redeemer, my delight and, therefore; I shall not want. I shall not want for anything: for more of what is not mine, for less of something that is in my life, for different circumstance, for anything that another has.  I shall not want.  And I love that the Lord does not just tell us these words, but he makes them true in our heart.  He seals them. I shall not want and I do not want.  We can trust the Lord protection over our lives.  We can trust His provision. We can rest in His promises and delight in his precepts.

Last night was restless for me. Without realizing what crime I was committing, I had a *caffeinated* beverage at half past eight.  I wish I were cool enough to say that caffeine does not affect my night's rest, but I'm not.  I was wide awake until after two.  Not long after I fell asleep, Noah came into our room and climbed into bed.  Shortly after, Kayt joined.  It was just one of those wild nights. Kayt and I finally moved to her bed, but the girl was wide eyed and chatty for over two hours.  I dozed in and out of sleep in the dark room only to find myself waking up to another question from a sweet-voiced girl.  Sometime after Brad's alarm went off at 6:30, I fell into a deep sleep.  I cherish sleep.  I loath the lack of it.  But as we all know, motherhood brings those few sleepless nights. And such was last night. 

In one of my dozing phases, I woke up having a dream of being on a long road.  I was standing, looking and I could hear one of my children's voices say, "Mom, you are my hope."  I woke up hearing this.  

I laid awake thinking.  I really felt like the Lord was reminding me of a truth.  And even in the light and rational of today, I still believe this. My actions and life are currently pointing my children to hope.  Hope that is Christ.  At a time in their lives when they are sifting through what it looks like to place your full hope in the Lord, they are watching me.  They watch my reactions, how I spend my time, my agenda, and they listen to my words.  But more than each of those, as I choose to acknowledge the Lord as my Shepherd, I act upon that hope and they watch for hopeful exception coming from my attitude and life. Until the day when my children each understand and make a choice to give their hearts fully to the Lord, their hearts are being drawn towards places of hope.  I am not their hope and I think Jesus that he is greater than even my greatest desires.  I am the first to admit that I am a lousy source of hope.  But I get to point others to Hope.  I get to live out the hope placed in my life. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame. And us, who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed.  I want to be a trustworthy source of pointing others, my family foremost, to Hope.  

Today, this day before a conscious day of giving thanks, I am thinking thankful.  

I am thankful that I have a Hope.

I am thankful that my Hope speaks.

I am thankful for reminders and spiritual markers so that I can continue to press on in my journey of knowing and loving the Lord more fully. 

I am thankful for callings.

I am thankful for the ones to whom I get to walk in this calling with.

I am thankful that my Hope is also a Shepard.

I am thankful for contentment.

I am thankful for the living word of God that he chooses to activate in my life.

I am thankful for a God who pursues me, even in the dark of night.

I am thankful for renewed energy.

I am thankful. 

Our Year in Review

It is hard to believe that 2009 is already coming to a close. This time last year, I knew of very little that awaited our family in the coming year, now I look back at 2009 with fondness, for it held so many special events in my life.

In January, I spent two weeks ministering to the women and orphans of India. They left a lasting imprint on my heart and I think regularly about the things that I learned during my two weeks on the opposite side of the world.

April 4, 2009 my brother-in-law was married. We spent the weekend in Oklahoma City where Brad performed the wedding of his little brother and lovely bride.

April 7, 2009 we found out baby #3 would be entering our lives.

At the same time, we felt the Lord had placed a wonderful opportunity in front of our family by providing us with a new home. We put our sweet little house on the market and two weeks later were negotiating a contract.

In May we left our house on Charles Street and moved in with my in-laws to begin turning this

into this!

At the end of July we moved into our newly updated and renovated home.

In between moves, we spent a week in Colorado at High School youth camp. While there, we informed everyone of our decision for Brad to take a new job within the church. He began the week as the High School pastor and ended the week as the College/Young Adults pastor.

Brad made the news when he and a friend found

a signed Tony Hawk skateboard left in a dumpster by Tony himself.

This stud muffin turned three, began Kinder Tots basketball and has blossomed into a smart and gifted little boy. He left toddler-hood behind and has astonished us with his logical way of thinking, intelligence, discernment and natural talents and giftings.

In July, I spent a long weekend with five of my closest friends lounging at a lakehouse in east Texas. I left encouraged and grateful.

And we found out that our baby was a she!

In August I witnessed this beauty become Mrs. Bo Faulds.

And in September Brad and I spent a week at a couple's spiritual getaway and made new friends.

It was full of vision and encouraged love.

This little entertainer turned two, got her ears pierced and was potty trained. She has blossomed into a funny, creative, smart and charming little princess. She woes my heart.

In October, I turned the big 2-7.

We also traveled with our dear friends to watch U2 in concert.

Since April, we watched this little bump

grow and grow and

grow into this!

And on December 15, 2009 our year was made right when Emery Claire entered our lives. We spent our first Christmas as a family of five and relished in God's goodness in our lives.

So here is looking forward to another year full of surprises and gifts. God was faithful to us in 2009 and he we have full confidence in all he will do in our hearts and lives this coming year.

A heart that is greatful...

The Mystery, The Power

Last weekend while we were out of town our fence blew down.  Word on the street is that the wind gusts were between 70 and 75 miles per hour. Sad I missed that one. 

All week we have had our fence propped up until the Mr. could get to it this weekend. After deliberating, he decided that this job was beyond his level of expertise.  We had several men coming out on Friday to look at the fence and give us estimates of the cost. In between man one and two, a friend from church called us.  He lives down the street from us (in a b.e.a.u.tiful home) and flips houses for a living. He told my husband that he had a crew that he was going to send to our house to mend our fence. He would not take no for an answer, he would not let us pay him, he would not even let us pay for supplies. He wanted to do this for us. 

Sometimes the Lord amazes me at the ways he blesses us through the generosity of others. Even if this thought crossed our friend's mind, he didn't have to act on it. He could have not entertained the thought and nothing would have happened. But he didn't. He chose to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and respond. Because of that, we benefited greatly.  This has been the story of our lives one hundred times over. People have listened to the Lord's prompting on their hearts and given to us, done for us, encouraged us, prayed for us. It amazes me each time. It mystifies me.

Part of me doesn't get it. Why? Why does my God, my Creator, my Sustainer, my Hope and my Promise care so much about the details of my life and about reminding me that he does care and he does love me beyond measure? Alhough I know the answer in my head and even in my heart, so much of the Lord is still a mystery to me.  Why would Jesus die so that I can live in freedom and with hope? Yet Jesus was subjected to a humiliating murder on a cross just so that people, measly sinners, thousands of years later can look at his act, his life and his suffering and know that he IS God. He must be. He has to be. He is. Why would anyone do that? And the answer is: they wouldn't. Unless they were God and they knew the impact, the change, the promise, the hope and every other great word that you could fill in the blank with that it would bring to the world forever.  He did because he is the great I Am.

Instances like the small one on Friday remind me that God does care about the details: the fences. Bigger instances like the one that happened on a Friday thousands of years ago remind me that God cares about the bigger picture: redeeming my life. And while I am eternally grateful for Jesus act on the cross, my hope doesn't end there. 

It continues because 

he is risen. 

The truth: Christ has died.

The hope: Christ is risen.

The promise: Christ will come again.

Happy Christ IS Risen Day!

That Was Fun.

Today. 

Oh, today, today, today....

Hmmmm. 

Today.

Well, let me see. Can you tell that this tricycle has a compartment on the back? It is for wee ones to haul their goods around. It was too cold to go outside today so the kids played in the garage while I cleaned out the refrigerator. I checked on them and found Kayt playing in the back compartment. She was splashing in water.  Shocked, I asked Noah how water got in there. He said, Oh, that's not water, it's pee. 

He went on to expand his argument by saying, it's okay mom. I needed to do it. It's posed to have water in there. Are you proud of me?

That was fun.

This afternoon I was wrestling Kayt to give her a breathing treatment. Noah was quiet, problem number one. But, being the optimist that I am, I decided to practice my positive thinking in hopes that he was occupying himself with something purposeful. Shortly after, he frolicked into the living room and told me that his stomach had been hurting. Then he said, but it's better now that I pooped in the bathtub.  

You guessed it. He did. 

I'm going to Wal-Mart tomorrow to get a new bath mat.

That was fun.

While doing laundry, I raised my head up and hit it on the corner of the cabinet door above the washer.

That was fun.

I was putting toys away in Noah's closet and somehow managed to get a splinter under my fingernail. I'm still baffled by that one. 

That was fun.

To sooth my pounding headache, we headed to Sonic for caffeine. I felt I deserved a treat; Cheddar Peppers! Noah climbed over the seat and spilled the ranch dressing all over the console of my car and my cell phone.

That was fun. 

We went to church tonight and my hubby spoke on grace. He talked about just the sort of day that I had had. The one when nothing seems to go your way, you're forced to stop at every red light, your appliances break and your kids do just about everything possible to push you over the edge, yet you still love them more than your own life. And although I have the headache from below and have had a crazy, crazy day, I love my kids and their constant activity more than every good thing. I'm thankful for their healthy bodies that can terrorize the house and their booming voices and their constant speech.  It is because of grace that I love them  and grace that I am loved.

Tonight, with unwashed hair and crossed eyes, God gave me a reminder.  

That was fun.

One Hour Alone is in Thy Hands...

I am making a time chart of my week, this week. I am dividing my days into thirty minute intervals and keeping track of how I spend each one.

In a study I am apart of, we are reading through the book, Spiritual Leadership, by J. Oswald Sanders. It was first published in 1967 and is a timeless classic. It is a practical approach to leadership that God calls each of us to, as His followers. I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to measure and challenge their place of leadership. 

One recently read chapter discusses the use of time. 

It says things such as:

"The quality of a person's leadership will be in part measured by time: it's use and it's passage."

"Leisure is a glorious opportunity and a subtle danger. A discretionary hour can be wisely invested or foolishly wasted. Each moment of the day is a gift from God that deserves care, for by any measure, our time is short and the work is great."

"Hours and days will surely pass, but we can direct them purposefully and productively."

It goes on to talk about how others my have more influence, more money or more ability, but none have more time. We are all given the same amount of time each day, and we are responsible for the strategic use of our time. 

The chapter balances out the urgency with reminding us that "our schedule is God's to arrange at his pleasure" and encouraging us to find a "balanced approach to time less it become his bondage and his downfall."

The nuggets of wisdom and the challenges from this book are impeccable. The Holy Spirit has worked through it in my heart, by calling me to a higher level of discipline and care in some areas of my life. Yet, as with any book I read, I know that what God calls me to does not have to be measured by a book, it is an individual calling that comes only through my intimacy with the Lord. This book is useful and relevant, but not my sounding board, the scriptures alone are that. 

Bringing me back to the beginning. 

I am making a time chart this week. 

I will be interested to see how my, seemingly busy, days unfold. In what areas do I spend less time than I would like to spend? What foolish areas of my life are receiving more time than they should? Am I spending my time in accordance with my priorities? 

This should be interesting.

These lines were engraved on a sundial:

The shadow of my finger cast

Divides the future from the past;

Before it stands the unborn hour

In darkness and beyond thy power;

Behind its unreturning line

The vanished hour, no longer thine;

One hour alone is in thy hands,

The now in which the shadow lands.

~author unknown~

I'M FREE!

We were at the park a few days ago. We've been to the park at least once a day all week. Most days, we've been twice. On Wednesday, we went to the big park. It's on the way home from the gym and we love it. 

There was a little boy close to Noah's size following him around. To both boys, I said, you boys look like you are about the same age, I bet you could play together. I asked the boy how old he was. 

He worked really hard to get three fingers up. It took work, people. Putting three fingers up isn't easy. But when he didn't say anything, Noah stared at him. 

I could tell Noah was getting a little perturbed with his lack of language. 

Finally, Noah said:  

 free (three)?

are you free?

say free.

if you're free, then say, I'M FREE.

can you say it?

f-r-e-e!

just say it. I'm free.

Mom, he's free. I don't know why he won't just say it.

Sometimes we are like the little boy at the park. We are free. God has redeemed it, whatever IT is. Sin, shame, failures, hurts...all of it. We are covered by our Savior's love and grace, yet we won't say it. We don't live it. We look at the world dumbfounded when, all the while, we should be yelling...

I'm Free.

If your free, then say it...I'M FREE!

Another lesson chalked up the the innocence of my almost three free year old.

A Day to Pray

Two things are pressing on my heart this morning and have been my prayer since waking. 

~Today marks the one year anniversary of the passing of sweet Lilly, Mandy's three and a half month old niece. Lilly's parents, Richard and Jennifer, are full of strength and resiliency. They are an example to me. The entire Thomas family is on a vacation this week. Please join me in praying for their family today. This is not a day that they ever thought would hold meaning for them. It is a tragic milestone and one more item to pass through on the road to healing. 

~My dear friend, Sarah, and her husband, Jody, fly out this morning for a twelve day tour of the Holy lands. There is an itinerary on Sarah's blog as well as specific ways we can be praying. 

Praise be to God who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

A Ginormous Favor

One week from today, I will be boarding an airplane to fly half way across the world. As I have told you before, I am part of a team of people going to India to minister in a Hindu culture. We will be ministering to children, visiting girl's orphanages and holding a women's conference for pastors wives. 

What I would like to ask of you is a big favor and I grasp that fully, so please do not feel pressured to participate if you are too busy, just don't think that it will fit into your schedule, or just are not up for it. Trust me, I am not up for a lot of things. I won't hold it against you. 

But, for those of you who are willing, I would love to ask you to pray for our journey. In fact, I want to take it one step further. In the midst of my journey, I would love to know that I have one, two or even three people going to the Lord on our behalf each day. If you would like to volunteer to spend one day in prayer for our team, please leave a comment with your name. After I have received comments, I will make a prayer assignment and give you one day to pray and let you know what will be taking place on that particular day so that you can pray specifically. 

Like I said before, I realize this is asking a lot of you so please feel no pressure to participate. But if the Lord lays it on your heart, I would be honored for you to pray for our journey. Even if you have never left a comment or do not have a blog, you can still comment and leave your name and I will add you in (ahem, mom). 

I just know that this will bring so much comfort to my spirit. 

I cannot thank you enough...

To participate:

Leave a comment

I will make an assignment

You will be given ONE day to pray. 

That is it!

Take Your Man to Jesus

Praying for my husband....

It is one of the biggest callings and blessing the Lord has bestowed upon me as a wife. 

Yet, I fail. 

I am so thankful for my husband, I want only the best for him and I know the Lord has brought me into his life to enrich it, not to deplete life from him.

Tonight, the Lord put this little call on my heart to spend ten days intensely focused on praying for my husband. 

Does anyone want to join me?

If so, leave a comment and let me know you are on board.

What I will do is give one topic for prayer per day, for the next ten days, directing us in how to pray specifically for our husbands. 

This isn't a Love Dare or a lengthy challenge, just a way that one gal can encourage another gal in praying for her husband or boyfriend or fiance or special someone. And in return, you will be giving me accountability in what the Lord has laid on my heart. I want my hubby to have a great start to 2009. 

I will put up the first short prayer direction sometime tomorrow for those who want to participate. 

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us

and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

And from his fullness we have received grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of John

Chapter One

Verses one through eighteen

My prayer is that you would acknowledge the grace upon grace that you have received; the grace that comes only from His fullness, the same fullness that became flesh and dwelt among us so that we might become his children, his heir.

Merry Christmas.

Lots of love now and throughout the year, 

The Ingram Gang

It Is Expected

It has been a busy week in my small world. When I haven't been mothering, I've been working and thinking. But mostly, I've been mothering.

Since my last, hurried blog, our nation has a new president-elect, the Tahoe has four new tires, my baby girl has contracted the 'yuck' and my home has accumulated astonishing amount of dirt. 

I've spent the past few days thinking about expectations.

As a woman, I have expectations to fulfill.

As a wife, I have expectations to live up to.

As a mother, I have expectations depending on me.

As a daughter, I have expectations to keep.

But who has placed the expectations in my heart and mind? 

Society? Others? The Lord? Myself?

I have aimed to sort through so many of the 'things' I feel that I am expected to do or expected to be or expected to juggle. Many of the expectations in my mind are placed there each morning by yours-truly. 

I love maintaining a spotless home, having home cooked meals on the table each evening, staying caught up on laundry and spending much time primping myself each morning. But I cannot do it all, everyday, and still maintain my soul. I cannot feed my soul, grow up in spiritual maturity and still meet all of my expectations. When I do meet all of my expectations, something is always overlooked. It is usually the thing that matters most, my soul. 

I have to let something go. Recently, grabbing dinner on occasion, as opposed to cooking, allows me to spend my day focusing on what matters most, not on what will be eaten that evening.  The care of my soul, and the soul's of my spouse and children are what matter most. For me, I also have areas of commitment that I need to step away from. Overcommitting myself, with good intentions, has caused me to push my spirit aside. 

If I were to let you know a bit about me, I would tell you that cleaning toilets does not refuel my spirt. It does for some women. I am not one of them. Do I like clean toilets? Yes. But that is not where I get the extra surge of energy that I need in my day? I am learning what does refuel my soul though. And it does not include a mop or a broom.

I am working on examining my expectations, seeing who, or what has placed each particular expectation on my life, and determining whether it is an important expectations, determined by the Lord, or if it is merely an expectation I can let go of to grow up my soul. I cannot run ahead of myself in efforts to reach a certain level of expectation, and throw away the growth that has come at too high of a price.

Some of my expectations seem ludicrous, yet I strive to meet them. Most of the 'things' I expect from myself, I would scoff at the person who actually accomplished them. I would never expect from another what I expect from myself. Am I making any sense? What do you expect from yourself that no one else expects? What can you forgo to focus on your soul? What refuels your spirit? 

God of the Roach

I am heading out for the retreat.

I wanted to post something before I left, but at this very moment I am still not quite sure what I will post about.

How about this...

For the past month or so, over the course of my day, I will think this phrase: "I am God of the roach."  That is God speaking, not me. 

I didn't know why the Lord keeps saying this phrase to me, but what I had originally gathered was that he was telling  me that he is not just God of the glorious or the pleasant or the desirable, but he is also God of the small, the pesky and the seemingly unnecessary. 

The first time the Lord spoke this phrase in my mind, I was driving with my children and I was taking in the beautiful evening. The colors of the sky, the rays streaming from the sunset, and the calm evening were captivating me. In that beauty, he spoke the phrase.

I am God of the roach.

At that moment, I redirected my thoughts from the beauty and began to think of those nasty insects. Cockroaches are pests. They are of no advantage and from the research I have done they appear on most all continents. They are most always considered pests.

But since the Lord continued to speak this to me, I researched further.

I have also learned that researchers have found a balance of cooperation and competition that exist with roaches. What I am saying is that when they placed cockroaches in multiple groups, the groups all joined together, forming one group.

Also, cockroaches run from light and desire dark places. Researchers believe that only two pieces of information are used when roaches make a decision: how

 dark it is and how many of their friends are there. 

So, in all of my silly research of cockroaches, I have concluded that roaches represent sin. This goes against my initial thinking that they may be a picture of small and unwanted issues. I believe this represents larger issues, consistent, addictive sin. 

People mirror roaches more than I had previously thought. When in sin, we flee from light. We run from those who are living in freedom, we avoid any person, place or thing that represents holiness and we desire to stay in darkness. In our disobedience, we look for friends; anyone who will approve of how we are living, anyone that will join us in our darkness. We, like roaches, have two factors in our mind when dealing with sin; how dark is it and how many of our friends are there. Those living in blatant disobedience work to stay there and over time their eyes become so accustomed to living in darkness that any ounce of light makes them turn their head and hide their eyes to protect them from light.

For the person living in sin, remaining in the dark, looking for anyone who will accept the choices you are making, He is God of the roach. I believe that my God wants to remind us that, in this dark world, full of sin and people who claim to know the truth but deny any form of Godliness, he is still the Lord. He is still the Alpha and the Omega. He alone is righteous and pure.  

In our roach-like behavior and our roach-like lifestyles, he still trumps. Ashamedly I have seen someone so entangled in sin that I don't ever consider that person coming to know the Lord. I feel they are too far gone. But he is God of the roach. He is still Lord of the one person or persons in your life that you have lost hope in. For you, have hope, take heart, and keep praying. He can restore and change. In Bible study on Tuesday, we read Saul's conversion to Paul. If Paul, who persecuted Christians, can be saved and dramatically changed, so can the roach you know.

When things seem downcast for you and when evil seems to prevail, remember he is God of the roach. He hasn't lost control. This world has not run ahead of the Lord, he is worthy of our honor.

He is God of the roach.

I am not completely sure why this odd phrase keeps going through my mind, but I know the Lord will show me in time.