New News

For the few of you who read this I am sharing.  Sometimes Facebook is a perfect venue for keeping people updated, but for those people I know who actually visit this blog and read my heart thoughts here I want to inform of current developments in the family.
Looks like we have major CHANGE in the near future.  There's good news and bad news!
Good news first:  My eldest son got a 3 year full ride ROTC scholarship to attend Concordia College this fall.  There is a strong possibility that a fourth year will also be awarded, but this will come about later.  We are thrilled for him, and he is so excited to go off to college and do something with his life career-wise.  We are thankful to the Lord for His timely provision.
Now for the "bad" news----which, for all that really isn't BAD.  Joni Earickson Tada, a quadrapalegic for the past 30 years or so, just got diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her response was, "I can't wait to see what God is going to do with this!"
Well, I can't wait to see what God is going to do with US!  My husband's company had a mandatory meeting yesterday.  Yeah.  Long story short---change. 
We'll see where God leads us next. 
I have my hopes to stay in the Midwest, but instead of looking forward and the endless possibilities I am going to look to the past.
I have been so blessed in this house for a decade of my life.
Good health, success, limitless provision for our needs, fun, purpose, growth.
Why focus on the dark side of life when the positives are powerfully lighting them away?
I know that difficulties develop character.  I know they force us to trust God in ways that we never desired, but isn't that the point?  Life is not SURE.  We never can plan for certainty.  Why bemoan the loss of a status that never was forever anyway?
Surely we all look at pain, suffering, deprivation as negative, but there is an unseen world of activity hinging on our circumstances.  We only see the here and now, yet the repercussions of our days and actions have sent a shock wave through the supernatural. 
That is why God allows suffering.  The face of our burnished gem is turned toward Him.  We are seeing the unpolished side, and it may not be pretty, but we hope, we know that there is a gorgeous stone, brilliant in all aspects shining toward our Creator.
Hope.  It's what we have in abundance.

And some every day doings

Last evening we had "the" campfire with a hot dog roast and several friends enjoying s'mores, glorified rice and pasta salad.  The 10' swimming pool was in heavy use yesterday---it was 90* in the shade.   I expect we'll be using the pool much today as well.
Our son returned from a missions trip to the inner city and its diverse people groups.  He arrived this morning after 10 days away.  It will take a few days for him to cough up the experience verbally.  I'll have to make sure I'm within speaking distance from him so I don't miss anything! 
My other son is taking the ROTC PT test this morning at an armory.  Hoping he passes!  53 sit ups in 2 minutes, 42 push-ups in 2 minutes, and running 2 miles in ? .  We'll see how he does.  ROTC means 3 1/2 years of college tuition for him, so we have high hopes.
Misty Corgums is suffering from a hot spot on her neck and shedding profusely.  Poor little creature!  We are caring for her as best we can.
My brother is on a world tour promoting his business.  My thoughts are with him today, concerned about the state of the world and business, politics and events.  I'd loathe his burdens, but I will pray for him.  I guess someone has to make the business world go round.
We are invited to a Chinese dinner cooked by one of our former Chinese guests this evening.  Looking forward to that! 
Now to some long overdue cleaning.  The story of MY life!

Why I am a Conservative

Go ahead and laugh with me on this one.  I've had this entry brewing for a few weeks in my head, and today is the day to draw up a cursory credo. 
I've been driven to it by seeing friends and loved ones disillusioned by liberal thinking, decrying conservative values, bad-mouthing my core values.  It's annoying.
Actually it is a lack of understanding.  So here it goes, for me.
(Clarence Thomas has a really good book that covers this in depth!)
Being a Conservative involves:
Supporting free trade and enterprise
Rewarding hard work
Caring for the weak and helpless
Allowing free thought
Being able to acknowledge universal moral values
Understanding evil, fighting it
Revering human life
Appreciating Creation
Emphasizing personal responsibility
Limiting secular government's authority

Okay, so some of these things tend toward my faith beliefs.  Somehow it does blend together! 
I like the slogan, "Don't tread on Me."  I like the freedom it implies.
One of my favorite things is to read biographies and life stories of the human spirit surviving oppressive authority.  Take the life story if Sadhu Sundar Singh, for example.  (Just get a copy, and read it!  Be inspired!)  Perhaps I am a little rebellious!  However, when one is in submission to God, Jehovah, the power of any earthly authority pales in comparison. 
This brings us to spiritual submission.  Conservative values work best when the spirit is in submission to the Ultimate Authority.
That is why I am a conservative.

Oh what a week can Be!

Just sitting here rejoicing at how wonderful God is, and how He can be such a generous and gentle Provider and leader.  I'm going to risk incongruity in this post and just let the thoughts flow.  After a whirlwind visit to a nice college all the doors burst open for my son  who just graduated from our home school.  I hope this can encourage other home schooling families in staying the course.
I had run into a few snafus, which I could easily see as closed opportunities, as the mother/teacher of my son, and I felt so discouraged at the rejection he had experienced.  Then one day this spring we chanced to visit a really nice college "up north" and the door began to ease open.
Now I can see the way God provides.  I had asked for a piece of bread, but God gave a steak dinner!
He will be given a stellar education, small class sizes, professors who acknowledge people of faith, wonderful musical opportunities, and a ROTC prof who is a fellow lover of Israel!  So many people in support of him, nurturing him, helping him to define who he is as a child of God.
The icing on the cake is that there are two employment opportunities open for him, for which he is perfectly qualified.  He should be able to manage both jobs!
Now we will see if it all pans out.  It is with thankful hearts that we proceed, knowing God's love for our son is even FAR greater than ours.  It is with joy that we can launch him to pursue the desires of his heart.

Happy Birthday, America

What a quiet Fourth for the Corgi Hollows clan.  No fireworks, no parade, no picnic or homemade ice cream.  The family was all split up at various locations.  Highly unusual, maybe the first such day in my memory.
I think it was inspiring to read this morning of young minds who seem to have solid Christian values, who are rising to lead the people of God in the narrow path.  That gives me the desire to celebrate.
James 1 says that real religion is taking care of the orphans and widows and keeping free of the smut of the world.  (Berkley)  Quite the task! 
I am planning on re-reading Bonhoeffer soon.  He's been mentioned much lately in regards to civil disobedience, and I think it's time to brush up on that.  Our allegiance is to Christ, in all things.  Inspiring!
I'm reading Isak Dinesen also.  I'm seeing parallels to Sigrid Undset's Kristen Lavransdatter.  I can see the connection of all these works in finding a path to serving God (as He has revealed to us) in the place he puts us.  Our times are in His hands. 
A new week is before us and new adventures.  With children who serve well it inspires me to see how their plans unfold and direct my paths too.

Tapping into Super Strength

There is nothing like blue sky and 75 degrees F to chase the dark clouds of cyclical depression away.  Sadness just can't stay when the world looks perfect.
And yet the world is not perfect.
Reading the headlines each day can be a source of frustration and sadness, a "downer" to start the day!  If there is any form of blue in the spirit it's really hard to spiral back up.
And then I turn to my faith.
Praise God that He can heal the spirit and bless the soul.  I've taken to pronouncing a blessing on my poor, tired, aging body whenever I sense the negative self talk coming (which I'm sure few are really immune from.)  It's really amazing to see the act of faith bringing the physical body back on track.
This seems to prove that God wants to interact with His children.  He cares for their minds, hearts and bodies.
I cannot begin to even list all the significant things going on for me lately.  Guests, scholarships being awarded, college acceptance for my oldest, sports activities, strange things occurring at night (Corgi out til 3....! Who let her out????) parties, tears, joys, and lots of AGAPE----in the Greek sense. 
I think my depression is partly weariness.  How glad I am that it's all good things making me tired!
Tomorrow I'm bringing 4 teenage boys up to the northern forests to play paintball and air soft (?) all day.  I'll be seeing very dear friends, one of whom is dying of ALS.  She is a wonderful witness to the patience and strength God can give in dealing with a terrible disease.
This is what God has for his own.  Triumph over evil.  Goodness in the weak.  Strength in the unexpected.  Hope and grace to face it all.

Purity

I'm reading one of my all-time favorite authors lately, George MacDonald.   I love how he slips bits of eternal wisdom and snippets about the love of God in his works of fiction.  I have never been to Scotland, but I think it must be a wonderful place to have produced such great minds like his, Oswald Chambers, the great mathematician Boyle, and other preachers of note. 
Today I think of purity again.  Purity of faith, purity of spirit and mind, purity of understanding.  The Bible admonishes us followers of Christ to be pure.  Mature, some say.  As always, I tend to be most comfortable with the direct translation of the word, even if it has overtones of other meanings. 
Sometimes I think in German, as the words have a more direct implication of what I mean.  In the last sentence the word overtones would have been better "Ahnings"  in the German.  It has a feeling of idea, leaning, yearning, and aspect.  See what I mean?  Sadly, few people can really get the whole meaning of the word.
Back to purity.  Does my cleaving to the simple definition make me a "Meanie?"    Is it possible to condemn behavior that is impure and still be seen as someone who loves, who cares, who wants only the best for those God brings into my life?
I would hope that my life and what I say as encouragement to others would always be seen as loving concern for everyone.  I want all of us to strive for purity. 
The loving care of an eternal God is what I've experienced my whole life, and I know it's possible to experience His love no matter what filth has taken place in anyone's life.
Quite frankly We are called out.  We are called to the narrow path.  We are called to be different.  We are called to be extraordinary.  We are called to purity, and there is no excuse for immoral behavior.
What's immoral?  Scripture has a great list of immorality in Romans 1.  Not many people like to go there because it's rather convicting.  It's there for a purpose.  We're not supposed to do the things on that list.
Thank God there is forgiveness.
Thank God He gives us the grace to actually try to be pure.
No credit to self, just credit and testimony of God's power and His love for this poor old world.  Let's all try a little more purity.  No excuses.  I think George MacDonald would agree, and he was certainly not a "meanie."