Tuesday's Top Ten [Bible Verses Relevant to Presidential Elections]

"... there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." Romans 13:1 If it were true in Paul's time (the author of Romans) then it's true today. And what was Paul's advice to the Roman Christians who endured persecution from the rulers (instituted by God)? Submit to them. Therefore, we shall as well and TRUST God's plan, whatever it may be.

"The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men." Daniel 4:17 If it was true in Daniels time that God, the Most High, rules the kingdom of men and sets over it whom he will, then I believe that our unchanging, all-powerful, all mighty, sovereign God still rules the kingdom of men and sets over it whomever HE chooses. And from the looks of it, it'll be the lowliest.

"The kings heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will." Proverbs 21:1 If God controls the heart of a king, I am 110% convinced that includes the president of the United States. Do I know why things are going the way they're going? Nope. I am not God and I do not know what the future holds except this: He wins. (Read Revelation 19:11 - 20.)

Have you read the story of how God saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt? (Exodus 1 - 15) Time and time and time again God tells Moses that He is going to harden Pharaoh's heart. Pharaoh. The king of Egypt. A man whom the people worshiped as a god. (Remember? The kings heart is a stream of water int he hand of the Lord.) Egypt at this time was one of the most powerful nations in the world (sound familiar?  Hmmmm... like the United States is today?) Read statements like, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go." (Exodus 4:21) and again in 7:3, "But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them." and again in 9:12, "But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses."  and again in 9:14-16, "I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." again in 10:1-2 and 10:20 and 10:27 and 11:10 and 14:4, 8, 17. What was God's reasoning? To proclaim HIS NAME! So that the most powerful nation on the earth and the people of Israel knew that HE IS GOD and there is none like Him. He will do what He will do when He pleases because He is God and it is HIS NAME and HIS WORD that will endure for all eternity (Psalm 138:2). It is just as true now as it was in the day of Moses! He will harden hearts and His Name will be proclaimed, even kings and presidents IF it is HIS will.

So what must we do? Like the Israelites coming out of Egypt: Be silent. He does the fighting. We must only trust in HIS plan, "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." (Exodus 14:14) How did God fight and win? Read the story in Exodus and then in Revelation 19-20. He wins. He ALWAYS wins. So no matter the outcome of this presidential election, HE WON.

"Behold I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Revelation 22:12 No matter the president chosen on this day or from now until the day Jesus returns, HE is the first and the last, the beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega. The King of kings and Lord of lords who institutes authority, sets over rulers, rules the kingdom of men, and holds the hearts of every ruler in his hand as though it were a stream of water. He is worthy of praise and our complete and utter trust.

"I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away." Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 God has decreed everything that's going to happen and He does things for a purpose. Who are we to question it? It's already been done.

Plus we do not understand His thoughts or His ways! "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:8-11 Can't get much clearer than that. Whatever He says will be done and it will accomplish His purpose and it will succeed, because He declared it. That is as true in Isaiah's time as it is today!

Because, "For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps." Psalm 135:6

and He also declares things that have not been done, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose;' Isaiah 46:10

And 11 for good measure:
If you don't like this truth I dare you to take it up with God! Job tried with comments such as, "Today also my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy on account of my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat! I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments." (Job 23:1-4) What bold arrogance! And it would be easy for us to justify his complaint, after all he had much to be bitter about. He lost everything. Yet, we complain as much, or more, than Job making comments such as, "Today my complaint is bitter on account of the new president! Oh, that I knew where I could find God that I might come to his throne! I would lay my case before him, because my way is best and I would argue the authority he set in place because I know best." You might receive such responses such as this, "Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his? Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor. Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is around and abase him. Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked where they stand. Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in the world below. Then will I also acknowledge to you that your own right hand can save you." (God's response to Job in 40:8-14.) In other words, can you do such things as command lightening to strike a mark (Job 36: 32, 38:35) or lay the foundation of an earth (Job 38:4) or loose the cords of Orion (Job 38:31) or thunder with a voice like his or adorn yourself with majesty and dignity, glory and splendor? You can't?! Well then stop and consider the wondrous works of God (Job 37:14) and do nothing else! Respond as Job does after hearing the word of God, "I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2) Hallelujah and AMEN!

No matter the president, no matter your earthly circumstances, look up, watching and waiting for the returning of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is King. And the one who will stand as President will be President because it is HIS will. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is outside of His control. Not even the President of the United States.

Whew. What an amazing relief.

Now, go do your duty and prayerfully vote, but vote resting in the almighty sovereignty of God, knowing that not one purpose of His can be thwarted and whatever He pleases, He does, because He.is.God. 

Great Poetry Reading Day

Today is GREAT POETRY READING day! I'm a big fan of good poetry so I think this is a wonderful day to celebrate. I'll give you some of my favorites...

These are a few in my girls library that we enjoy reading occasionally. One of my personal favorites is from Ghastlies, Goops, & Pincushions by X.J. Kennedy, 

A Giraffe's Laughs Last

When spied on in a zoo, Giraffe

Neglects his tree-leaf diet

To take a look at you and laugh - 

Your short neck! What a riot!

He grins and grins from ear to ear. 

If you've not yet departed,

In several days you'll get to hear 

The throaty laugh you started.

Isn't that a great one?

Another great one from A Child's Book of Poems by Victor Hugo,

One of my favorites since high school, that always made me cry, is The Panther by Rainer Maria Rilke,

His vision, from the constantly passing bars,

has grown so weary that it cannot hold

anything else. It seems to him there are

a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world.

As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,

the movement of his powerful soft strides

is like a ritual dance around a center

in which a mighty will stands paralyzed.

Only at times, the curtain of the pupils

lifts, quietly--. An image enters in,

rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,

plunges into the heart and is gone.

And then there are these gems,

The Valley of Vision is a collection of puritan prayers by Arthur Bennett. I have so many favorites that I cannot share them all, but here are pieces I have written down and scattered throughout my house,

Or these that I've shared on my blog before...

BUT one my all time favorite from this book is the very first one titled, The Valley of Vision (others include Love Lustres at Calvary, Deliverance, and Regeneration)

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

where i live in the depths but see thee in the heights; 

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine; 

Let me find thy light in my darkness,

thy life in my death,

thy joy in my sorrow,

thy grace in my sin,

thy riches in my poverty

thy glory in my valley.

A Gospel Primer is not a book of poetry, but Milton Vincent did write The Gospel Narrative: Prose Version, which I highly recommend reading and holding onto. It's a great one to end on...

Beholding the heavens, I now understand

God measured them all with the breadth of His hand.

He fashioned the trillions of stars in the sky,

The sun and the moon He established on high.

All heaven and earth, which He made in six days, 

Show daily and nightly His merit of praise.

So wondrously caring is God every day, 

Creating, sustaining my life every way.

Each breath I intake, every beat of my heart,

All pleasures well-tasted are His to impart.

Indeed, for such blessings He should be adored

And honored supremely as eminent Lord.

In fact, for this purpose He brought me to be, 

That I might His glory and kindliness see

And cherish Him fully in all of my days, 

Obeying with pleasure whatever he says, 

Fulfilling the calling He's laid upon me

To show forth His glory deliberately.

Yet I could not fail God much worse than I've done.

Ignoring His glory, for mine I have run.

I've spurned a life under His wisdom and care, 

Begrudged Him the throne and pretended me there.

A prideful and lust-laden path I have trod,

Transgressing all Ten great Commandments of God. 

My foolish rebellion gives God every right

To damn me with haste to the miserable plight

Of terrible judgments in His Lake of Fire,

Where wrath is most fierce and will never expire.

With wickedest sinners I truly should know

The worst of Hell's furies for failing God so.

So this is my status and these are my flaws

Apart from Christ Jesus and His saving cause: 

I carry sin's guilt and am gripped by sin's pow'r,

Held fast to its various lusts ev'ry hour,

Deserving of flames, both within and without,

And sliding t'ward Hell as I toss all about,

Too reprobate even to play a small part

In clearing my record or changing my heart

To pacify wrath and be worthy of grace,

To make myself lovely and win God's embrace.

Completely condemned by God's Law in its whole,

I've nothing to offer to ransom my soul.

But wonder of wonders, so great to behold,

My God chose to save me with method so bold.

What I could not render,

God fully has done, and doing, He rendered it all through His Son.

He sent Christ to die on the cross for my sin

To suffer my anguish, my pardon to win.

Amazing it is, when I stop to regard, 

That God would consent to an anguish so hard,

Surrend'ring His Son unto mayhem and death,

To torturous writhing 'til His final breath.

'Why does God forsake Me?' alone Jesus cried;

Yet God left Him hanging until He had died.

That Jesus was willing His life to lay down,

Be scourged and insulted and wear thorny crown

For one such as I who had spited God so,

Amazes and blesses and makes me to know

That greater a lover is no man than He, 

Who laid down His life for a sinner like me.

Now after Christ died

He was placed in a tomb,

Which first was a grave,

But then served as a womb,

Travailing and quaking the day He was raised

And brought forth by God to be handled and praised.

The Firstborn from death on that day emerged He

With power to save to the utmost degree.

At God's own right hand Christ now reigns from on high,

A Friend in high places to sinners who cry

To Him for forgiveness, their evils confessed.

He gives them a pardon and then makes them blessed.

As prince He is Savior to all who believe,

Who come to Him humbly His grace to receive.

Now when my time came and to Jesus I cried,

He gave me the pardon for which I had sighed,

He cleansed me completely from wrongs I had done, 

Released me from bondage to sins, every one.

He shattered sin's chains which had held me before, 

And thus made me free not to sin any more.

A child of the Father He made me to be

And gave me the Spirit as His guarantee

That, being God's child, I will one day obtain

A heavenly treasure that never will wane.

While in me, the Spirit gives power and love

And sweet premonitions of glory above.

In saving, God also did justify me,

Accounting me righteous by His own decree,

Declaring me guiltless of all of my sin,

And bringing His wrath against me to an end.

This wrath Christ appeased in full brunt on the Tree,

When, bearing my sin, He endured it for me.

So now God relates to me only with grace,

The former wrath banished without any trace!

And each day I'm made a bit more as I should,

His grace using all things to render me good.

Yes, even in trials God's grace abounds too

And does me the good He assigns it to do.

And when I am sinning God's grace does abound,

Ensuring my justified status is sound.

No wrath is awakened in God at my sin,

BECAUSE CHRIST APPEASED IT 

(to say so again).

God's heart pulses only with passionate grace, 

Which jealousy wants me back in His embrace.

God does not require even that I confess,

Before He desires His forgiveness to press.

Forgiveness has been in His heart all along; 

And when I approach Him to make right my wrong,

He runs up to greet me and draws to me near,

Embracing and kissing and ready to clear. 

God does see my sins and He grieves at them so,

For when I am sinning, His love I don't know. 

He even will send me some heart-rending pain,

So I'll learn new ways and His holiness gain.

His disciplines always are with love imbued,

A love that seeks ever my ultimate good.

So this is my story; ongoing it is.

How shall I thank God for this gospel of His?

A gift that keeps giving, the gospel confers 

The bounty of heaven each time I rehearse.

Deserve it?

I don't on my holiest day;

But this is salvation, and herein I'll stay.

I can't help myself when I see books of poetry - they are all over my house. They are fantastic books to pick up and read one if I have a few minutes to do so, but they are great books with which to decorate...

Poetry is great for so many reasons - they make me laugh, smile, cry and speak to my soul - it only makes sense that they become an integral addition to my decorating and my life!

Tuesday's Top Ten [Weird Things You May Not Know About Me]

I really, really had to think about this. It was hard to come up with 10 things. I mean, I know I'm weird, but I think I'm guilty of over-thinking it...

1. I hate my widows peak. I grew up begging my mom to let me shave it off, I am ever so grateful for her laying down the law on that one. I hate it so much that I subconsciously try to conceal it - supposedly. My sister Mandy said that she put my hair in a ponytail the day of Eleanna's delivery to get it out of my face, and then I "fixed" it so it was concealed. I do not remember this, but she laughs about it to this day.

2. I have crooked pinkies. This isn't something I hate necessarily, until the pinkies overlap my ring fingers and then I have a real annoying problem.

3. I have played the clarinet since 5th grade, which is 20 years of clarinet playing. That includes 3 years of pep and concert band playing in college, which was nearly 9 years ago already. I don't get it out nearly as much as I should, but I do dust it off occasionally. And when I do, Marley howls. What's weird about this you ask (besides the Marley thing)? Well, when I was learning how to play my crooked pinkies suddenly became useful. Also, admitting that you play the clarinet subsequently lands ya as the butt of all jokes, therefore, I learned how to play the saxophone (including the baritone sax, which was as big as me), tried my hand at the piano, trumpet, but always went back to the clarinet.

4. I love to dress up. I'm not just talking about looking nice in a dress, high heels and make up (although I like to do that too) I'm talking about costumes. Costume party? I'm in and I go all out.

5. My favorite meal to eat out is breakfast. Coffee. Chocolate chips and whip cream on crepes or gooey, hot cinnamon rolls. Seriously, there isn't another meal that "allows" dessert for the main course. Did I mention the coffee?

6. My dream car is a Volkswagen bug. They are the cutest little things. I owned one for a few years. When I had a baby I realized it isn't a family friendly vehicle, so I sold it (sad face).

7. I'm a Valentine baby. My birthday is November 14. Think about it.

8. I love, love, love black licorice. Most people think that's weird.

9. I hysterically giggle at corny jokes, puns, and movies. Like The Three Amigos or What did the buffalo say to his son as he left for college? Bi-Son! (hehehehe). I could go on forever but I think I made my point.

10. I am allergic to cough medicine. As a result, I grew up taking jager shots whenever I was plagued with a cough. That explains a lot, doesn't it?

Tuesday's Top Ten [Favorite Night-Night Books]

In our household we have a slew of favorites, but here are a few we enjoy before bedtime: (I promise you'll enjoy them too!)

 A Hunting We Will Go by Steven Kellogg contains sprightly verses taking children on a bedtime adventure! A brushing we will go, a hugging we will go, a reading we will go...

 The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House by Eric Litwin, illustrated by Scott Magoon, is by far a family favorite. It's hilarious with it's nutty puns, song, and happy ending.

 If Animals Kissed Like We Kiss Goodnight by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by David Walker, is an adorable kissing comparison. My favorite? The sloths, who sloooooooowly kiss goodnight. And while all the animals give their goodnight kisses the sloths come up again and again, still kissing goodnight.

 Count Yourself to Sleep by Sue Buchanan & Lynn Hodges is a wonderful book reminding us to count our blessings before bed, giving credit to Whom credit is due: God Himself.

 Roar of a Snore by Marsha Diane Arnold, illustrated by Pierre Pratt, keeps the reader wondering, who is snoring that great big snore? Of course, you'll snore along as the characters go searching.

 Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman, tells a story of a snoring, hibernating bear who's friends join him in his lair, eventually waking him - oops!

 Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd, a classic my little Bean has enjoyed reading over and over and over again.

 Song of Night by Katie Riley Nakamura, illustrated by Linnea Riley, follows a variety of animals in their bedtime routine, each adding to the song of night.

 Kisses by Nanda Roep, illustrated by Marijke ten Cate, includes a father/daughter duo as she accepts many different types of kisses - witches kiss, butterfly kiss, circus kiss, etc. - from her daddy.

 Robot Rompus by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Ross Collins, offers comedic chaos when irresponsible parents leave robots to tend their child to bed, leaving quite the disaster.

5 Places On My Bucket List Thanks to Books

Books inspire me. They give new vocabulary. Formulate pictures. Make me cry or laugh. Discover places I want to see with my own eyes someday. Here's a few of those places...

1. Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Bethlehem, Israel, Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Valley at Elah, Mt Carmel, and many, many other places I'm constantly reading about in the Bible. This list is short for here, because it could be endless. Seeing the Holy Land I read about daily would be a wonderful visual to help me understand Scriptures more fully. Plus, I want to plant my feet in places Jesus stood. What a faith building journey this would be!

   

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2. Prince Edward Island, Canada made the list thanks to L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. Most especially the "White Sands Hotel" which is actually called "Dalvay by the Sea". It's romantic reputation is so well known that Prince William and Kate stayed there as part of their honeymoon tour! It's gorgeous surroundings and history pull me in... 

   

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3. The Marvel's by Brian Selznick was inspired by one of the most famous tourist attractions in London called Dennis Severs House. The description of this house on the home page of it's website is so incredibly intriguing: "Dennis Severs' House at 18 Folgate Street, Spitalfields is more than just a time capsule. It's both a breathtaking and an intimate portrait of the lives of a family of Huguenot silk-weavers from 1724 to the dawn of the 20th Century. As you follow their fortunes through the generations, the sights, smells and sounds of the house take you into their lives. It was Dennis Severs' intention that as you enter his house it is as if you have passed through the surface of a painting, exploring with your senses and imagination a meticulously crafted 18th Century world." Every room tells a story (see The Plot). Every page in this book - with no words - tells an adventurous, mysterious story. Either you see it or you don't. And I want to see what inspired Brian Selznick: Dennis Severs House. 

   

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4. The Ravensbruck National Memorial, near Berlin, is high on my list thanks to Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place. Her experience in the largest concentration camp for women and how God used her there is a powerful, life-changing read (here's my review). I think it's a book everyone should get their hands on!  

   

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5. I taught Homer Hickam's October Sky, a non-fiction book, all about his life in Coalwood, WV during the days of Sputnik. His fascination with rockets inspired his involvement in the Space Race. The story behind the rockets these boys launched inspire readers to work hard and persevere. This is a book my kids always enjoyed. Teaching it year after year only added to my desire to visit Coalwood and see for myself the beautiful, historic places Homer Hickam talks about in his book (even his mother's beloved Myrtle Beach). I especially want to visit during their October Sky Festival where the community celebrates the Rocket Boys and all they accomplished (http://www.coalwoodwestvirginia.com). I think visiting these places would add so much to my teaching of this historic book. (Check out Homer Hickam's website to learn more about his adventure!) 

   

   Perhaps it's the teacher in me and the history nerd, but I love exploring old schools. Homer Hickam speaks fondly of the teachers who challenged him to academic excellence - if only these walls could tell the stories of those teachers! (Image Source)

The machine shop is the setting for many important events in the Rocket Boys story! (Image Source)

I encourage you, if you haven't already, to read these books and be inspired. I haven't actually set foot in these places just yet, but I've been there, many times.