Before March ends! Things I'm Loving

March ends in a couple days and I'm racing to finish this post. Here's a look at things I enjoyed this month!

1) Overnight Dates
Jess and I went to see Audrey Assad and Andrew Peterson in concert as a joint birthday present (but mostly for him present). Getting away and enjoying something together that had nothing to do with ministry was refreshing. The kids stayed with friends and we enjoyed a peaceful and thoughtful concert together...and got some good quiet, uninterrupted reading time.

2) Quality conversations
I'm increasingly more irritated by shoot the wind small talk. Before this year, I would scratch my head when friends would complain about how it would exhaust them...but now, I get it. It just feels like a waste of air compared to some of the amazing, deep conversations you could have instead! Lately my favorite conversations center around cross cultural education and relations, home education, and self-leadership.

3) Dead Mentors
As morbid as it sounds, it is true. I've been discovering a wealth of wisdom in the books I've read by Charlotte Mason (educator from England who lived in the 1800s) and selections from Henri Nouwen's books.

4) Growing Personalities
Clay and Celia continue to grow and their personalities shine ever the brighter. It's fun to hear the little songs Celia will sing, and to try to answer (to find the answer) to Clay's curious questions about nature.

5) Lent
Jess and I decided to participate in Lent this year by giving up movies and shows. It's been nice to read other books, play music, or just talk instead of staring at a screen.

Is Reality Secular? Thoughts from Chapter 1

Because I find myself in so many conversations with students that dive into Christian apologetics, Jess put the book Is Reality Secular?  into my hands.  It's written by Dr. Mary Poplin, a professor from Claremont Graduate University in California. In this book, she aims to explore this question by examining the four global world views: Material Naturalism, Secular Humanism, Pantheism, and Judeo-Christian Theism. Needless to say, it's academically heavy.

In this first chapter, she opens with a story about exploring this question with a class of PhD students. One of them, eager to respond, states, "Setting aside the idea of truth..." In this moment, with some of the brightest students in the nation, Poplin realized that that statement unveiled how secularism has rooted itself in the west. Truth is no longer a reality, but an idea that we can set aside. (This baffled me.)

Poplin goes on to describe how secularism has replaced the ideas of Christianity as the main narrative  to guide Western society. Secularism, which says that scientific evidence and human reason are all we need as guidance. As logical as it may sound, secular humanism also has its blind spots. I found this quote from William Cavanaugh quite eye opening: 

"The myth of religious violence promotes a dichotomy between us  and them, the hordes of  violent religious fanatics in the Muslim world. Their violence is religious, and therefore irrational and divisive. Our violence, on the other hand, is rational, peacemaking, and necessary. Regrettably, we find ourselves forced to bomb them into higher rationality."

In fact, Poplin goes on to say that the terrorist attacks on 9/11 were not against Christianity, but against the pervasive secular moral and economic systems of the West. It's plain to see if you examine the targets - the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon, and the White House...not the National Cathedral. Although secular humanism appears neutral, it actually isn't. The truth is that it is actually as emphatic about its doctrines as radical Islam. Neither view will tolerate anything outside of itself. 

Interesting enough, many of the uprisings that occur within nation-states come from ideals (egalitarianism, justice, freedom, human rights) that have roots in Christianity. As atheist German philosopher  Jurgen Habermas pointed out:

"...Christianity has functioned as more than just a precursor or a catalyst. Universalistic egalitarianism, from which sprang the ideals of freedom and a collective life in solidarity, the autonomous conduct of life and emancipation, the individual morality of conscience, human rights and democracy, is the direct legacy of the Judaic ethic of justice and the Christian ethic of love. This legacy, substantially unchanged, has been the object of a continual critical re-appropriation and reinterpretation. Up to this very day there is no alternative to it. And in light of the current challenges of a post-national constellation, we must draw sustenance now, as in the past, from this substance...Everything else is idle post-modern talk."

In order to see truth as it is, any person must know the thrust of each major world view, as well as the motivations behind their own world view. Failure to do this is actually a failure to see reality as it is presented, whether wholly or a jaded spin, by our friends, the govenment or the media. 

I'll end with this quote by Dallas Willard. He encapsulates Poplin's motivation for the book well.

"Is reality secular? Is adequate knowledge secular? And is that something that has been established as a fact by thorough and unbiased inquiry? Is this something that today's secular universities thoroughly and freely discuss in a disciplined way? Certainly not! Nowhere does that happen. It is now simply assumed that every field of knowledge or practice is perfectly complete without any reference to God. It may be logically possible that this assumption is true, but is it true?"

Henri's Prayer

Lately I have been using A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Saints for my time in the scripture. It follows the liturgical calendar, and has appropriate passages for each day, selections from various books other than the Bible, and a weekly hymn. Today's selection included a prayer of Henri Nouwen from his book, Cries for Mercy. 

"Every day I see again that only You can teach me to pray, only You can set my heart at rest, only You can let me dwell in Your presence. No book, no idea, no concept or theory will ever bring me close to You unless You Yourself are the one who lets these instruments become the way to you.

"But Lord, let me at least remain open to Your initiative; let me wait patiently and attentively for that hour when You will come and break through all the walls I have erected. Teach me, O Lord, to pray."

Amen, Henri.

Bluegrass Dancefloor

**I've been reading The Artist's Rule  by Christine Valters Paintner, a book discussing the spiritual practice of creating art. This piece, a pantoum, came out of this week's exercise about stability of place, mind, and heart.**

I turn my face towards you

Follow your gentle lead and we're dancing

Who knew love would be so fun?

Dancing to the banjo on a bed of clover.

Follow your gentle lead and we're dancing

Alone and together all at once

Dancing to the banjo on a bed of clover

We are each other's treasure.

Alone and together all at once

Who knew love would be so fun?

We are each other's treasure

I turn my face towards you.

Things I'm Loving: February

Here's a sneak peak into things that bring a little joy into my life. Here are the things that I am loving:

Trim Healthy Mama Life
Let's get real. Since before having kids, I have struggled with weight loss, weight gain, and basic self control. I've done the calorie counting - it didn't stick. I've done the carb avoiding - too restrictive and expensive. In April, I didn't have anything to lose by trying out a diet called Trim Healthy Mama. This plan lets me have cake for breakfast and rich, delicious lasagna for dinner...all while losing weight and feeling happy. And did I mention that the food is DELICIOUS? You should check out their recipe for Trimtastic Cake. The frosting is my favorite part!

A Breve Latte
My fellow coffee lovers, you have not lived until you have had a latte made for you with heavy cream. I had a breve with breakfast almost every other morning last week and I nearly cried the morning I opened the refrigerator to find the carton empty.

BC&T
My favorite coffee shop now carries almond milk. This means that they can make me almost any specialty drink I desire with it. Hello, healthy, delicious coffee.

Curry
This isn't necessarily a new thing, because I have enjoyed different curries since discovering it in my college days. There's just something so comforting to me about the mix of coconut milk, ginger, and curry spices that make the stress of my day dissipate.

Fund Raising
This is not walking door to door and awkwardly asking strangers to buy a candy bar to support a cause (although asking for money can get a little awkward if you think about it too much). What I love about fundraising is inviting people from various parts of my life into a deeper relationship and understanding of my little life in Berea, serving students, faculty, and staff. To me, going on to a fund raising appointment is a lot like treasure hunting. While listening to a friend, I can see all the different gifts and abilities they have and how they can join me in serving the campus. It's really a treat. Sometimes I feel like I am inviting friends along for an adventure. And who doesn't need an adventure??

My First Link-Up: Things I'm Loving

Okay, okay, okay, okay! Guys, listen!

My friend Camille is hosting a linkup and I'm excited to join in on the fun. All I have to do (and you are invited to come join the fun too) is list a couple things that you are LOVING for the month, link up to the original blogger, and invite a friend or two to join in on the fun.

Okay, so AUGUST.

August is a crazy/messy/busy/chaotic/bewildering/fascinating time of year for us in our line of work. Students are returning and wanting to re-connect, we're neck deep in planning events for the first several weeks, and did I mention that all these events set the tone for the rest of the academic year? Oh and that I am going to dip my toes in the homeschooling waters for the first.time.ever?  Yeah. No pressure right? There's loads of it! Tons of it! Don't pretend for a minute it is a walk in the park unless you mean AMUSEMENT PARK because that's totally what we're proverbially riding here.

Anyway, in midst of all these reallyeasytooverwhelmmeevents coming up, this link up is a great excuse to take a break and recall the reasons why, really, I love this lifestyle. So, without further ado....

Things I'm Loving:

1) Four year old and two year old siblings.
    Clay and Celia are officially playmates, entertaining each other for significant chunks of time             during the day. Listening to their play plot lines also provides plenty of entertainment for me too.         Example? "You are making a cake? Okay, I'll make cake syrup to go with it...and a pickle!"

2) InterVarsity Workday
    In June I became an official volunteer with InterVarsity at Berea College. You can find out more         about InterVarsity here. Jess has tasked me with reaching out to people in our networks to support     our work. So, one day a week, he stays home with the kids and I get to wear business casual              clothing, drive to campus, and write letters, emails, make phone calls and meet with people for           lunch or coffee to talk about life, God's Kingdom, and where we fit. It's nice to see tasks to                  completion (write a letter. send it. done!) AND make new friends. I come home refreshed and             ready to be Mommy again....where some tasks will never be finished. Ever. 

3) Creek Time
    I recently discovered that this is a thing. People actually get INTO the water and do things. So,           since I have a little scientist and animal lover on my hands, we make our way to the creek at least      once a week for a picnic and crawdad hunt. I like feeling like I am giving Clay and Celia the kind of    childhood full of Tom Sawyer-esque adventures.

4) STRANGER THINGS
    Get on Netflix right now and put this on your instant cue. I haven't been so wrapped up in a show       since LOST or Downton Abbey.

5) Ambleside Moms
    This is a book discussion centered on books by educator Charlotte Mason. The literature is              informative and convicting, with equally helpful (maybe even cathartic) discussion. Its one of the        first times I have felt like I could really do this homeschool adventure thing.

6) Turtle Island String Quartet
     My friend Kara introduced me to them, and now their Pandora Station runs nonstop in my house. 

What are you loving this month?

Thanks to Camille for hosting this link up!

On No

I'm reading The Creative Call by Janice Elshiemer and this paragraph has been rolling around in my head and heart for a couple days.

"Saying no is not alway a negative. Say no can be proactive and positive. Anne Morrow Lindbergh, in Gift from the Sea, writes, 'There are so few empty pages in my engagement pad or empty hours in the day or empty rooms in my life in which to stand alone and find myself...Too many worthy activities, valuable things, and interesting people. For it is not merely the trivial which clutters our lives but the important as well. We can have a surfeit of treasures - an excess of shells, where one or two would be significant.' We, too, can have a surfeit of good things in our lives. The people we care about are important to us, and we want to spend time nurturing those relationships. But some of us base our sense of self-worth on how well respond to the needs of others."

Ouch. That hurts pretty good.