In all the work you are doing,
work the best you can. Work as if you were doing
it for the Lord, not for people.
--Colossians 3:23
Wisdom
of the Ages The
value of consistent prayer is not that He will hear
us, but that we will hear him.
--William
McGill
A
Life Question
Have I told anyone
today how thankful I am for all the things they
do for me and others that no one even notices?
Want to invite a friend?
Sunday Dinner
No one appreciates their mother enough. In this
life, that's a given. The only one who comes closest
is a woman who has become a mother herself, and
even she probably doesn't fully appreciate the woman
a generation above her.
Where did I come to this conclusion? Sitting in
a church pew as the priest extolled the virtues
of "Keeping Holy the Sabbath." In the
sermon he specifically forbade the parishioners
from mowing the lawn, fixing up the house, or doing
paperwork on Sundays. He said (and I quote), "Sundays
should be a day of rest in which the whole family
gathers around the table for Sunday dinner."
Now, during my pre-motherhood days, this sounded
like a great idea. You go to church, come home,
watch some football on television, then go in and
gather around the table for a full Sunday dinner,
bow your heads, and have yourself "a day of
rest." Notice I said "during my pre-motherhood
days."
Throughout my motherhood days, however (which for
those of you who don't know that means roughly from
the day you give birth until the child buries you),
a more accurate picture of "Sunday dinner"
is thus:
You've managed to get the kids bathed, dressed,
and in the car with only a shoe missing and one
coat on upside down. You get to church and sincerely
ask the Almighty to just get you through the parking
lot and to a pew before your knees or shoulder gives
out from the strain of dragging in the full diaper
bag, two sippy cups, an extra blanket and the 20-pound
toddler who's squirming to get out of your arms.
You make it through the service with the toddler
C-THUNKING his head on the pew ahead of you only
enough times to be stared at twice just to make
it back home in time for your husband to turn on
the game and your kids to started yelling about
who did what to whom.
In the midst of minor chaos, you whip something
out of the refrigerator, wondering how long it's
been in there and if anybody will notice it's been
microwaved once it gets to the table. With the toddler
clinging to your knees, you manage to put together
a somewhat respectable meal-even if it does include
chicken nuggets and French fries.
Wishing you had earplugs to drown out the crying
of the toddler and the yelling of the others, you
get the plates on the table and call everyone to
the table for "Sunday dinner." As you
referee the current dispute about if one child said
they didn't like peas or not the last time, you
do manage to get in a few bites before someone thinks
of something you forgot… A serving spoon, salt,
a fork, water…
A blink and the meal is over. If you're lucky,
you will get a "Thanks, Honey" from your
husband just before he goes back to the chair for
an afternoon nap. Then, I invite you, as you look
around at the table strewn with dirty dishes and
pans, glasses and silverware, close your eyes, take
a deep breath, and say a genuine prayer of thanksgiving
for your mother.
I think that may be why God put the "Honoring
Your Father and Mother" Commandment just after
the "Keep Holy the Sabbath Day" one-because
He already knew about Sunday dinner.
by: Staci Stallings
See the Newest Feature Article, Prove
It! here.
Insights
I'm
a recovering control freak. For many years I thought I was
the one making my life work. Sure, I consulted God, but
He was really in the passenger's seat never the driver's.
Worse, I gave Him MY map rather than using His. "Okay,
God. I want to go here, here, here, and here--in that order."
When I first started writing my books, I tried that too,
but I realized quickly that if God wanted me to go somewhere
else (and I had given Him even the vague assumption that
I really did want His help in getting there), He would pull
my plans to a head-snapping halt if need be.
Of
course, then like a good little control freak, I would get
mad. "Man, God, what are You doing? I thought we were
going over there!" I shake my head now thinking how
He must have been shaking His head at me then. "You
know, Staci, it would be a lot easier if we just did this
My way to begin with." But I was too busy doing it
all my way to listen.
Recently
I read C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity," which
is excellent if like a student once said of a teacher, "You
can hold your breath long enough to get down where he likes
to swim." In short, it's pretty deep. But in it, he
talks about Faith, only he goes beyond faith as in "I
believe in Jesus." He says that REAL faith says, "Lord,
take my life and show me what you want done." Not MY
plans for my life, YOUR plans for my life.
My
concrete example that maybe I'm learning is my current babysitter-merry-go-round.
Since my wonderful ex-babysitter quit to get her real career
going (what was she thinking?!), I've been left to find
someone else. Only problem is that my "someone else"
has turned into 3 or 4 someone elses who one can come one
day from X to Y, and another who can come another day from
G to H, and another... Well, you get the idea. And there
are quite a few days in there that no one can come. At the
beginning of the summer, I had decided to let God take the
driver's seat, and so when "my" plans take a backseat
to "circumstances," I now have to b r e a t h
e and realize that this is God's way of saying that He has
a better idea.
Unbelievably,
I feel on track this summer. I feel like I have gotten the
things done that I was supposed to get done. In short, I
feel like this summer has been a success. How could it not
be? I've finally let God drive!
Continuing...
Princess
All subscribers to "On Our Journey Home"
are treated to reading a whole book by Staci
just for signing up for the newsletter.
The latest cyber-serial, "Princess"
began May 19 and all subscribers will be able
to read 2 chapters a month until they have read
the entire book.
If you're not a subscriber, what are you waiting
for? Sign up now!
Upon
first impression, Jaxton Anderson is a character you'll
love to hate. His city-bred arrogance and selfishness
gets under the skin of the reader as well as character,
Ami Martin. In his eyes, Ami is just some attractive but
obstinate country girl, quite unlike the more sophisticated
girls he undoubtedly knows in the city. In fact, the sooner
he fulfills the mission his father sent him on, the sooner
he can leave hicksville and head back to the real action
that he's missing out on. Were it not for the author's
ability to allow us to know what he is feeling in honest
and direct ways so that we can feel the nausea he feels
when he is confronted by his own sin and depravity, we
would continue to dislike him. However, his charms win
over more than just Ami in this romance.
Jaxton's
best laid plans are waylaid when he meets his grandfather
again after many years. Finding him in an old and decrepit
house does much to convince him that there is no gold
mine waiting here. But the "gold" is not in
wealth or riches, but strength of character as Jaxton
slowly learns. His grandfather stands for trust, compassion,
and genuine love for his fellow neighbour.
Will
Jaxton stick around long enough to learn the wisdom his
grandfather has to share? Will he learn that love and
friendship can define a family more than blood and inheritance?
That personal character is more valuable than earthly
possessions? Will good old fashioned hard work alongside
the lovely and determined Ami Martin break down the defenses
of his heart so he can experience true love and a deep
faith?
Staci
Stallings writes with a wit and humour possessed by few.
Her characters are strong, likable and easy to relate
to. They inspire the reader to strive for more in our
own lives. The wisdom and noble compassion of the grandfather
remind us of the desire we have for a wise grandfatherly
figure like Mr. S. in our own lives. The dreams shared
by Ami are ones which make the reader reconsider whether
we are dreaming big enough for with God all things are
possible.
This
author has many beautifully created phrases and descriptive
images that remind one of a chocolate wafer you want to
savor and taste over and over. For example:
"Heaven
wrapped around him for a moment as his gaze traveled through
the trees right into the arms of God Himself, and an undeniable
peace filled the room." (The Long Way Home, pg. 234)
This
delightful and spunky novel will have you reading from
cover to cover. I had shivers of delight rolling up my
spine several times as I devoured page after page. This
novel leaves you sighing and reliving the love story in
your mind. Surely Staci Stallings is one of the leading
authors of inspirational romance today!
A good love story that does not disappoint!
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