The preachers were beaten, threatened, and abused, and yet the people received their doctrine, invited, no doubt, thereto by their wonderful patience and cheerfulness under their trials, which convinced men that they were borne up and carried on by a better spirit than their own. – Matthew Henry on Acts 6:1-7 Studying ahead for this… Continue reading I Want To Be An Invitation
Category: Comforts and Calls
Babies Come Out One Way or Another
Warning: This post will probably be of little interest to some maybe even gross (I’ve lost my ability to assess that category from a normal perspective). But some of you may find it helpful and it’s on my mind, so take it or leave it. I’m actually considering (gulp) going without an epidural, on purpose… Continue reading Babies Come Out One Way or Another
A Home for Christmas
I love getting Christmas letters, even from close friends whose lives I’m already very familiar with. It is just a fun privilege to read people’s reflective summary of their family and life in their own words. I know, I know, sometimes they can come across braggadocios, sometimes boring, sometimes just a little weird, but usually… Continue reading A Home for Christmas
A Christmas Story
For a writing assignment this week, I asked Emily to write a story or poem that describes what Christmas is about. This story made my heart happy. She is such a blessing of a child. The Strangers by Emily Spencer Once upon a time, there was a family called the Trigger family. They had 10… Continue reading A Christmas Story
Better Heroes
I know that Lincoln is all the rage right now. Personally I’m on the fence, admittedly because I haven’t taken much time to study him beyond the government version of history. Either way, he opened the door to big government (yuck), but was, whether he intended to be or not,used by the Lord to end… Continue reading Better Heroes
Christian Hospitality
Hospitality is part of my inheritance from my mom. She modeled for us the ability to welcome and attract people to an orderly (albeit lively) family home rather than to an immaculate professional house. It was so natural to me growing up that until I started my own hospitable endeavors did I realize how uncomfortable it… Continue reading Christian Hospitality
Sweet Sovereignty
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. – Psalm 138:8 You know those times when a verse just leaps off the page and hits you between the eyeballs? This morning was one of those times and it’s still throbbing. … Continue reading Sweet Sovereignty
Thanksgiving Poems
Say Thank You to the Lord By Emily Spencer (age 8, apparently going on 80) We are living on Thanksgiving. Say Thank you to the Lord. It is impossible to be bored tonight. We are all singing in the fire’s light. It is cold out there, but warm in here,… Continue reading Thanksgiving Poems
A Salla Story
A Salla Story by Beppie Spencer (age 3) Once upon a time there lived 3 little penguins. Then there was a shark floating in the water and tried to eat them, but a fish cameand fighted with the shark and tried to eat the penguins, but they got away. Then a nice polar bear helped… Continue reading A Salla Story
The Best Story
The Lord has made a wonderfully bizarre world full of fodder for great stories, both true and invented. We love stories at our house. We read them, tell them, act them out, and make them up. To find out an amazing story is true is far better than finding out that one you were told… Continue reading The Best Story
Talking Wall 