Do You Want to Be an Ac-TOR?

Well, my kids don't. But they read decently, so they were tapped to be narrators in a play about Esther recently put on at church. You can watch it here, on Rebecca's blog. Her kids had three major parts, and mine did the reading.

Be sure to turn off her music application in the side bar.... Enjoy!

To Be Absent From the Body

Joyce Olivia Young Shelby, March 17, 1947—March 19, 2009

When my son was born, she held him before I did.
My daughter bears her name, J-O-Y.
She loved me through the toughest season of my life.
Without her, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

She was unflinchingly honest,
elaborately generous,
unfailingly gracious.
She kept her word.

She loved with her actions and her prayers.

Her last status update on Facebook read, in part, “ I may be leaving you very soon.”

Too soon.

She was our spiritual mom and godmother, mothering us over the miles and though heartaches.

She ended nearly every conversation by reminding me that Jesus was coming back soon, saying “Tonight would be good.”

She is missed, but not for long.

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

She lived her life “present with the Lord,” and we are better for it.

We interrupt our silence...

Life has been a little hectic lately, what with ice storms, power outages and so forth. I have a back log of things I want to blog about, but all that will wait for another day.

Today, I want to introduce you to the prayer wheel tool I use to keep myself on track during my quiet time. It's very simple, just a reminder of twelve things or ways to pray every day. I don't know who came up with it—my pastor gave it to me and I use it gratefully. I have a notebook handy for what hits me from my reading and prayer. I also tuck in a piece of scrap paper, and if I get knocked off my concentration by things I need to do that day, I just jot them down and move on. I've been practicing this for nearly two months on a more and more regular basis, and I thoroughly enjoy the effect it's had on my life.

As a bonus, you get all the references I looked up and scribbled into my notebook, plus a peek at my high tech methods. *grin* I hope it helps someone!

This was never intended to be a political blog.

However, I have two things to share.

The first is this article by Gerald Warner in the UK Daily Telegraph.

The second, I will blog about later in the week—after I snap a photo of the spectacle.

*sigh*

She Who Would Valiant Be

(A Hymn for Rebecca by John Bunyan, 1684)

He who would valiant be ’gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round with dismal stories
Do but themselves confound—his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
We know we at the end, shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.

Note to self.

When performing science experiments, it is important to keep up with them.

...or...

Seeds do not sprout unless they stay moist. For days. On end.

...or...

Dried out paper towels are not conducive to studying much of anything.

An atheist Speaks Truth.

This Times (of London) article is an interesting read about missions work in Africa. I'm posting it here courtesy of Zero Updates, who posted in on FaceBook but not on his blog.