"If you never have sleepless hours, if you never have weeping eyes, if your hearts never swell as if they would burst, you need not anticipate that you will be called zealous. You do not know the beginning of true zeal, for the foundation of Christian zeal lies in the heart. The heart must be heavy with grief and yet must beat high with holy ardor. The heart must be vehement in desire, panting continually for God's glory, or else we shall never attain to anything like the zeal which God would have us know." ~Charles Surgeon
2Corinthians 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has provoked very many.
In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people, often up to 10 times each week at different places.I think he knew enough about zeal to accurately describe it.
Ready to start Week 3? If you’re not quite feeling like moving on, then don’t! Stay right here until you sense the kids have a good grasp on those first couple of sentences.
It was a big week as far as number of words learned. We had to create a foundation to work on. From here on out, there will be fewer words per week to tackle. So if you’re going to take some extra time to pause and get a better grasp, now’s the time to do it.
This week, we’ll be building on what we already know, starting with “I have
(If you’re just joining us and would like to learn more, you can do that here.)
For advanced or older students, we will be working on greetings this month.
This week’s optional material is: Yo vivo en _____. I live in ____ (i.e. Georgia) Hola. Hello Adios. Goodbye ¿Cómo está usted? How are you?
Monday
Review: Alphabet
New Material: un papel, a paper
Notes: Say the words, slowly and clearly. Have each child repeat them until they’re comfortable with it. Give its English definition.
Today’s focus: Sentence 3-- Yo tengo un papel.--I have a paper.
Activity Suggestion:
Flash cards—For each new object (or noun) they learn, the kids will be making their own flashcard. Cut a piece of construction paper (or typing paper) in quarters. 3X5 cards will work five too. You might have the kids draw piece of paper. This will be a rather boring rectangle, so if you’re feeling creative, tear a small rectangle of paper out of a larger piece and glue it onto the flashcard. On the other side, write el papel with a pencil, or light colored pen so it doesn’t bleed through.
Review last week’s flash cards.
Tuesday
Review: Alphabet and sentence 1--Yo tengo un lápiz.
Notes: Reviews should never take more than 3-5 minutes.
New Material: Sentence 4--El papel es blanco, The paper is white.
Notes: You might mention what “es” means, but don’t dwell on it. We’ll use it enough that they’ll get it.
Activity suggestion:
Cut several strips of construction paper out of each Spanish color you know. Fold them up, throw them in a bag, close your eyes and see what you draw. With each turn, the child must say “El papel es ___” or they could say “Tengo un papel ____” and fill in the color. If they get the sentence/color right, they get to keep the paper. When all the papers are gone, the one with the most at the end wins.
Wednesday
Review: Alphabet and sentence 2-- Yo escribo con el lápiz, I write with my/the pencil.
New Material: Sentence 5—Yo escribo con el lápiz en el papel, on the paper.
Notes: At this point, you can explain that in Spanish many times the “o” at the end of an action word means “yo” or “I”. So, when speaking Spanish, you can either say “Yo escribo” or you can simply say “escribo”. The “yo” is understood with the “o” ending. To help explain, you might say, “For ‘you write’ the ending changes to ‘escribes’. The ‘es’ at the end is another way of saying ‘you’.” They don’t need to remember this example now. The “yo” is often dropped, but you might continue to use it if they understand it better that way.
Today’s focus: (Yo) escribo con el lápiz en el papel, I write with the pencil on the paper
Suggested Activity:
Today is basically a review. We’ve taken words we know from other sentences and joined them into a new one. Before you give the sentence to them, have your Readers look over the sentences they already know and see what they can do with them on their own. Tell them to be creative. Encourage them to fill in with English words where needed.
Notes: Today’s sentence is long. Our focus is to show how the kids can put all their words together to build sentences. They’ll find it fun to say such a string of words. Don’t expect them to have this one memorized any time soon. It’s a lot to remember, especially for younger ones.
Thursday
Review: Alphabet and sentences 1 and 2
New material: dos, tres—two, three
Also, choose 1 new color to learn. Replace the new color with “blanco” in sentence 4.
Notes: Even kids know the number one in Spanish. When counting we say “uno”. However, we won’t talk about the number one right now because it can be confusing for little people at first. Why? In Spanish when doing abstract counting (say counting for a game of hide and seek) you say “uno”, but when the number one is referring to a specific object or person, you give the number its appropriate gender. “un libro” “una rosa”. That’s three different forms of the number one. A lot to digest. Let’s just use the correct one at the correct time and watch them catch on.
Notes: Basic list of colors. naranja--orange rojo—red amarillo—yellow azul—blue verde—green blanco—white negro—black pink—rosa púrpura —purple
Activity Suggestion
Pull out your box of crayons and give each child a blank sheet of paper. Have each one dig out a color they know in Spanish. They must say “Tengo el color naranja”. Or for little ones, simply have them say, for example, “Tengo el rojo”. Then they must draw something that is usually the color they’re holding, such as a red cherry.
With the next color they get from the box, pick one of the two numbers they know and say, for example, “now draw tres of those” of whatever object they have chosen to draw.
When they’ve finished, have them write the name of the color (in Spanish, of course!) next to each group of objects. While they write it, you might have them practice their “escribo” word. “Escribo el color naranja.”
Friday
Review: sentences 3-5
New material: none
Handwriting practice: As neatly as possible, have those students old enough write the three sentences they’ve learned this week. They can chose one of the colors to add to sentence 4.
Notebook: We’ll be creating a notebook. Use lined writing paper and keep them together in a folder. A spiral bound notebook isn’t practical for our purposes. We’ll be referring to these throughout the upcoming weeks.
Words to add this week—
Under “objects”—el papel
Under “colors”—all colors learned
Under “small words”—es
Under “numbers”—dos, tres
During school today, the kids and I stopped for an hour to watch hundreds of robins land and feast on the mini-beasts in our yard. They were quite brave, coming up to our window and watching us through the pane as they poked around in the dead grass. We were fascinated watching them hippity-hopped, then pause and cock their heads to listen for the sound of insects. Quite incredible.
Reminded us of how awesome our God is!
The kids and I put a halt on math to whisk out art supplies. Thirty minutes later, we'd colorfully recorded our feathery friends' visit. Another lovely addition to their binders.
My eight year old son has been reading the Chick-fil-A classics along with us. He reads the Illustrated Classics editions, and is usually done within the first few days of the month. I have to make him wait for the new month to start the next classic. There's just no stopping this boy!
I thought it would be fun to interview him each month to see what he thought of the book. We couldn't find "A Study in Scarlet" for his age, so he read three of Doyle's short stories combined in one book. TheRed-Headed League, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, and The Adventure of the Copper Beeches.
He thought the interview was super-cool, by the way.
What’s the name of your book? “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”
Why did you like the Sherlock Holmes’ stories? Because I like mystery books.
What year does the story take place? Probably in the 1800’s.
What city and country does Sherlock live in? In London, England.
What’s special about these mystery books? He’s a detective and he’s not just an ordinary person like in my Mandy books. She’s just an ordinary person that gets into a lot of mysteries.
But Sherlock isn’t ordinary? He’s a detective. That’s his job.
What do you think about the way he talks? He thought all of it out. Asked a lot of questions and figured it out.
Who is your favorite character—Sherlock or Watson? I think Sherlock.
Why? Because all he does is ask questions and look around and figures out the mystery. Like in the second story I read, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band”, there was this guy, he liked animals from a different country as pets and killed his own step-daughter because the mother made 100 pounds a year and she was going to give most of it to her daughters at marriage and one of them got married, so he had a poisonous snake and he kept it in his room and used it to kill one step daughter. He had construction on his other step-daughters room so he could make her move into her dead sister’s room. And he sent the snake through the air vent in the room and the snake crawled down a bell pull which was right by the bed. Sherlock heard the snake coming so he lit a match and took his staff and swung it near the air-vent to drive it back up there. The snake was scared so it bit the first person it saw. It bit its master. Sherlock put it back into its cage. And it had a lock on it.
Sherlock just asked a bunch of questions and figured it out.
How are Sherlock and Watson different? Sherlock is a detective and Watson is just his helper.
Do you think Sherlock is very smart, very observant, or both? Both. He notices details. He saw milk sauce on top of the snake’s cage but he didn’t tell the lady he was helping so he wouldn’t add onto her grief.
What character didn’t you like? Mr. Spaulding
Why? Because he was one of the people helping the people that were trying to steal the French gold. And because he has a splash of acid on his forehead.
What does a “splash of acid” mean? It’s from his old timey camara. He liked to take pictures. It was his hobby.
What don’t you like about Sherlock? I like everything.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A man who has given his life to a deep examination of the Word of God, Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe is an internationally known Bible teacher, former pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago and the author of more than 150 books. For over thirty years, millions have come to rely on the timeless wisdom of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s “Be” Commentary series. Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary and insights on Scripture have helped readers understand and apply God’s Word with the goal of life transformation. Dubbed by many as the “pastor’s pastor,” Dr. Wiersbe skillfully weaves Scripture with historical explanations and thought-provoking questions, communicating the Word in such a way that the masses grasp its relevance for today.
Product Details:
List Price: $8.99 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (February 1, 2010) Language: English ISBN-10: 1434765105 ISBN-13: 978-1434765109
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Introduction to 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
Too Soon to Quit!
Timothy was not too happy in his church in Ephesus, and Titus was in a difficult situation on the island of Crete. To both of them, Paul wrote, “Be faithful! It’s always too soon to quit!”
Paul used the Greek word pistos (“faithful”) at least seventeen times in these three letters. The theme runs through each chapter: Be faithful to the Word, be faithful to your task, be faithful to the people to whom you minister. God is faithful! But don’t get the idea that the Pastoral Epistles are only for pastors and other “full-time Christian workers.” These three letters are for every Christian, every church member.
I have added a chapter on Philemon because what Paul wrote to him fits right into the theme of this study. Philemon faced a difficult problem with his runaway slave, Onesimus, and Paul’s counsel encouraged Philemon to be faithful to the Lord in solving that problem.
As you study these letters, I want to help you understand the ministry of the local church and also encourage you to stick with it! If you and I are faithful to the tasks God has given us, then His work will prosper and His name will be glorified. Could we ask for more?
A Note about Paul’s Life
Paul was arrested in Jerusalem around AD 57 and was confined to prison in Caesarea for two years (see Acts 21:19—26:32). Paul’s voyage to Rome to be tried before Caesar started sometime around September AD 59. After a shipwreck and a three-month wait on Malta, he arrived in Rome about
February AD 60 (see Acts 27—28). There he had liberty to minister.
Paul was acquitted of the charges and released. During the two years that followed, he ministered in various places and wrote 1 Timothy and Titus.
About AD 65, he was arrested again but this time put into a dungeon. It was then that he wrote 2 Timothy, his last letter.
The other collected letters, including Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, were written during his first Roman captivity. —Warren W. Wiersbe
How to Use This Study
This study is designed for both individual and small-group use. We’ve divided it into eight lessons—each references one or more chapters in Warren W. Wiersbe’s commentary Be Faithful (second edition, David C. Cook, 2009). While reading Be Faithful is not a prerequisite for going through this study, the additional insights and background Wiersbe offers can greatly enhance your study experience.
The Getting Started questions at the beginning of each lesson offer you an opportunity to record your first thoughts and reactions to the study text. This is an important step in the study process as those “first impressions” often include clues about what it is your heart is longing to discover.
The bulk of the study is found in the Going Deeper questions. These dive into the Bible text and, along with helpful excerpts from Wiersbe’s commentary, help you examine not only the original context and meaning of the verses but also modern application.
Looking Inward narrows the focus down to your personal story. These intimate questions can be a bit uncomfortable at times, but don’t shy away from honesty here. This is where you are asked to stand before the mirror of God’s Word and look closely at what you see. It’s the place to take a good look at yourself in light of the lesson and search for ways in which you can grow in faith.
Going Forward is the place where you can commit to paper those things you want or need to do in order to better live out the discoveries you made in the Looking Inward section. Don’t skip or skim through this. Take the time to really consider what practical steps you might take to move closer to Christ. Then share your thoughts with a trusted friend who can act as an encourager and accountability partner.
Finally, there is a brief Seeking Help section to close the lesson. This is a reminder for you to invite God into your spiritual-growth process. If you choose to write out a prayer in this section, come back to it as you work through the lesson and continue to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you discover God’s will for your life.
Tips for Small Groups
A small group is a dynamic thing. One week it might seem like a group of close-knit friends. The next it might seem more like a group of uncomfortable strangers. A small-group leader’s role is to read these subtle changes and adjust the tone of the discussion accordingly.
Small groups need to be safe places for people to talk openly. It is through shared wrestling with difficult life issues that some of the greatest personal growth is discovered. But in order for the group to feel safe, participants need to know it’s okay not to share sometimes. Always invite honest disclosure, but never force someone to speak if he or she isn’t comfortable doing so. (A savvy leader will follow up later with a group member who isn’t comfortable sharing in a group setting to see if a one-on-one discussion is more appropriate.)
Have volunteers take turns reading excerpts from Scripture or from the commentary. The more each person is involved even in the mundane tasks, the more they’ll feel comfortable opening up in more meaningful ways.
The leader should watch the clock and keep the discussion moving. Sometimes there may be more Going Deeper questions than your group can cover in your available time. If you’ve had a fruitful discussion, it’s okay to move on without finishing everything. And if you think the group is getting bogged down on a question or has taken off on a tangent, you can simply say, “Let’s go on to question 5.” Be sure to save at least ten to fifteen minutes for the Going Forward questions.
Finally, soak your group meetings in prayer—before you begin, during as needed, and always at the end of your time together.
Lesson 1
An Important Job
(1 TIMOTHY 1—2)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read 1 Timothy 1—2. This lesson references chapters 1 and 2 in Be Faithful. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
Timothy was born of mixed parentage: His mother was a Jewess, his father a Greek. He was so devoted to Christ that his local church leaders recommended him to Paul, and Paul added him to his “missionary staff” (Acts 16:1–5). Paul often reminded Timothy that he was chosen for this ministry (1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14). Timothy was faithful to the Lord (1 Cor. 4:17) and had a deep concern for God’s people (Phil. 2:20–22).
But in spite of his calling, his close association with Paul, and his spiritual gifts, Timothy was easily discouraged.
Paul wrote the letter we call 1 Timothy to encourage Timothy, to explain how a local church should be managed, and to enforce his own authority as a servant of God.
—Be Faithful, pages 20–21
1. What clues does Paul give in the first two chapters of 1 Timothy about Timothy’s tendency to be discouraged? (See especially 1 Tim. 1:18–19.) Why do you think Paul mentions that he has “handed over to Satan” Hymenaeus and Alexander?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from 1 Timothy 1—2 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
One reason Christian workers must stay on the job is that false teachers are busy trying to capture Christians. There were teachers of false doctrines in Paul’s day just as there are today, and we must take them seriously. These false teachers have no good news for lost sinners. They seek instead to lead Christians astray and capture them for their causes.
Paul used military language to help Timothy and his people see the seriousness of the problem (1 Tim. 1:3). Charge means “to give strict orders from a superior officer.” Paul used this word (sometimes translated “commandment” and “command” in KJV) eight times in his two letters to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:3, 5, 18; 4:11; 5:7; 6:13, 17; 2 Tim. 4:1). He was conveying this idea: “Timothy, you are not only a pastor of the church in a difficult city. You are also a Christian soldier under orders from the King. Now pass these orders along to the soldiers in your church!”
—Be Faithful, pages 21–22
3. How does Paul’s use of military language speak to an urgency in battling the false doctrines in the Ephesian church? What are some similar circumstances in today’s church where a “command” to a church leader might be appropriate? What are the risks of not responding to the false doctrines swiftly and decisively?
More to Consider: Read Galatians 5:1–6. How does this passage speak to the “ false doctrines” of religious legalism that Paul is warning against in 1 Timothy 1:3–11?
From the Commentary
The mention of “the gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1 Tim. 1:11, literal translation) moved Paul to share his own personal testimony. He was “Exhibit A” to prove that the gospel of the grace of God really works. When you read Paul’s testimony (see also Acts 9:1–22; 22:1–21; 26:9–18), you begin to grasp the wonder of God’s grace and His saving power.
—Be Faithful, page 24
4. Review 1 Timothy 1:12–17. What do these verses tell us about Paul’s testimony? What arguments does he put forth to illustrate the gospel of grace in his own story?
From the History Books
The city of Ephesus (in present-day Turkey) was at one time a city of nearly half a million people. Among other things, it was known for the Temple of Artemis (Diana). People came from far away to worship the goddess of fertility. The temple itself, which took more than a hundred years to complete, is often referred to today as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World” and is evidence of the strong pagan influence in the city of Ephesus during Paul’s day.
5. What impact would the pagan environment have had on Timothy’s ability to serve the church in Ephesus? What sorts of challenges might he have faced that were unique to a city that was known for its worship of a fertility goddess? How might knowing this about Ephesus have influenced the manner in which Paul addressed Timothy?
From the Commentary
It was not easy to serve God in pagan Ephesus, but Timothy was a man under orders, and he had to obey. The soldier’s task is to “please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Tim. 2:4), and not to please himself. Furthermore, Timothy was there by divine appointment: God had chosen him and sent him. It was this fact that could give him assurance in difficult days.
—Be Faithful, page 27
6. How does Paul’s personal story (1 Tim. 1:12–13) speak to the idea of being divinely appointed for the leadership task? How might this have offered encouragement to Timothy? How does this resonate with the way we view church leaders today?
From the Commentary
Timothy must have been greatly helped and encouraged when he read this first section of Paul’s letter. God had called Timothy, equipped him, and put him into his place of ministry. Timothy’s job was not to run all over Ephesus, being involved in a multitude of tasks. His job was to care for the church by winning the lost, teaching the saved, and defending the faith. Any task that did not relate to these ministries would have to be abandoned.
—Be Faithful, page 29
7. Why was it important for Timothy to focus on the local church? What greater value could this focus have had on other efforts to reach the Ephesians? In what ways do the leaders of churches today succeed in staying focused? In what ways does the church fail in this? How can Paul’s words in chapter 1 help redirect a church that has lost focus?
From the Commentary
Often, what we think is the “freedom of the Spirit” are the carnal ideas of some Christian who is not walking in the Spirit. Eventually this “freedom” becomes anarchy, and the Spirit grieves as a church gradually moves away from the standards of God’s Word.
To counteract this tendency, Paul exhorted both the men and the women in the church and reminded them of their spiritual responsibilities.
—Be Faithful, page 33
8. Review 1 Timothy 2:1–8. What were the spiritual responsibilities Paul described specifically for the men of the church? Why do you think he separated the responsibilities of men and women in this and the next section? How much of what Paul described is specific to the culture of the time, and what can we derive from this passage that is universally helpful for all believers, men or women?
More to Consider: Read Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:9–14; James 4:1–10; and 1 John 5:14–15 to see examples of problematic attitudes some people bring to prayer. How does Paul’s exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1–4 speak to the concerns raised by these passages?
From the Commentary
The word translated “subjection” in 1 Timothy 2:11 is translated “submitting” and “submit” in Ephesians 5:21–22 and Colossians 3:18. It literally means “to rank under.” Anyone who has served in the armed forces knows that “rank” has to do with order and authority, not with value or ability.
Submission is not subjugation. Submission is recognizing God’s order in the home and the church and joyfully obeying it. When a Christian wife joyfully submits to the Lord and to her own husband, it should bring out the best in her.
—Be Faithful, page 40
9. Review 1 Timothy 2:9–15. What are the specific responsibilities Paul outlines for women in these verses? What makes this passage somewhat controversial in today’s church? Again, how much of what Paul writes is specific to the culture of the time, and how much is directly applicable today?
From the Commentary
Paul gave several arguments to back up this admonition that the Christian men in the church should be the spiritual leaders. The first is an argument from creation: Adam was formed first, and then Eve (1 Tim. 2:12–13).
The second argument has to do with man’s fall into sin. Satan deceived the woman into sinning (Gen. 3:1ff.; 2 Cor. 11:3); the man sinned with his eyes wide open. Because Adam rejected the God-given order, he listened to his wife, disobeyed God, and brought sin and death into the world. The submission of wives to their own husbands is a part of the original creation.
—Be Faithful, page 43
10. What is your initial reaction to Paul’s arguments about why men should be the spiritual leaders in the church? Why do you think Paul makes this distinction in his letter to Timothy? What can we discern from this that is applicable to today’s church leaders?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of 1 Timothy 1—2. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. When have you been discouraged like Timothy? How did you respond to that discouragement? How can Paul’s words of encouragement to Timothy help you?
12. Timothy was battling the false doctrine of legalism. How have you battled that in your church? In your own life? Why is it so easy to fall into legalism? How do Paul’s words to Timothy help you understand the gospel of grace?
13. What is your response to Paul’s exhortations to men and women at the end of 1 Timothy 2? How are Paul’s words applicable to your life? Do you agree with everything he says? Why or why not?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you need encouragement? Do you need to fight the temptation to be legalistic? Be specific. Go back through 1 Timothy 1—2 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Ideas: Invite a discussion with other church members about how you can support and encourage the church leadership. Brainstorm specific ways you can encourage the leaders, and then take action on these ideas.
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve previously noted. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other
group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read
and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read 1 Timothy 3. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read chapter 3, “Follow the Leaders,” in Be Faithful.
"Alice in Wonderland" is our next Chick-fil-A classic. And what great timing with the movie coming out next month.
Speaking of the movie, think you'll go see it? Seems a bit creepy to me. I don't think the kids will go for it. I have a confession to make. We aren't huge "Alice in Wonderland" fans, so we're not exactly counting down to the release. Love Johnny Depp, so I'm sure he's done his usual eccentric best. Still...might be one we wait to Netflix.
The book, on the other hand, is in the line-up for next week. So get to your local bookstore and snatch a copy!
Hard to believe we're already looking to March, isn't it??
Saturday, February 20, 2010
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lisa McKay and her husband, Luke, serve at a thriving church in Alabama. Together they are happily – if not always properly—raising three rowdy boys and one dramatic girl. In addition to being a wife and mom, Lisa is also a popular conference speaker.
List Price: $12.99 Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (February 1, 2010) Language: English ISBN-10: 1434767264 ISBN-13: 978-1434767264
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
My Husband’s Calling is My Calling Too
Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.—Proverbs 19:21 (NASB)
I once had an interesting conversation with a woman whose husband had enrolled in seminary to prepare for ministry. “He can take classes all he wants, but I didn’t sign up for the preacher’s wife thing,” she said. Since she didn’t believe her husband would actually follow through, she went on to tell me she planned on humoring him until the day his calling affected her. And if that day ever came? Well, she’d just cross that bridge when she came to it.
He is still in school. She is still in denial.
Around that same time I attended a pastor’s wife conference that included a panel discussion at the end. Lined across the stage, five women in different seasons of ministry shared the thing they found most difficult about being married to a minister.
I’ll never forget the response of the youngest woman. She was the mom of toddlers and was obviously distressed. “The hardest thing for me is everyone wanting a piece of my husband and not acknowledging me in the least,” she said. “I feel like the person in the background who is only here to take care of the kids so he can be free to take care of everyone else.”
I was grieved by her raw response. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around that girl and assure her she had it all wrong. That she was an integral part of her husband’s ministry. That her calling in that season was her children. That no amount of public success possibly mattered if her heart and home were in shambles. The sad thing is that I’ve met many more like her in the past fifteen years during my own life as a minister’s wife. If anything, this has intensified my desire to embrace and encourage women whom God has charged with supporting the men He has ordained to proclaim His Word.
The fact that I just typed that last sentence still baffles me. You have no idea how surreal it is for me to be writing this book. There are many of you reading who have been Christians as long as you can remember and always knew you would marry a preacher. Many more of you grew up as the child of a minister and swore you would never marry one yourself, only to find yourself eating your words. Some of you have pursued callings to various vocational ministries and met your mate in college, seminary, etc. Some of you married men who were already serving in the church. However, based on my blog surveys, a lot of your serene lives were turned inside out when your husband experienced God’s call to ministry some point after you were married.
And then on the lunatic fringe are girls like me whose life and marital background weren’t exactly résumé worthy.
A Match Made In Heaven?
My husband, Luke, and I married young. I was a mere eighteen and he a strapping twenty-one. Can I just be honest and tell you there were never two individuals any more needy or any less likely to be serving behind a pulpit?
I always cringe when we run into old high school friends. The question of what we’re doing now always comes up, and there is one response that we can count on when we share that Luke is a pastor—after the laughter dies down, that is.
“Luke, you are a preacher? And Lisa? You are a preacher’s wife?! Okay, joke’s over. Now what are you really doing?”
We would be offended if we weren’t just as baffled.
I forgive our flabbergasted friends because I can’t hold their excellent recall against them. They remember the dangerous combination of the wild boy and the bitter girl whose marriage was tumultuous at best. Surely, the future they envisioned for us was set in a divorce court rather than a sanctuary. They were within days of being absolutely correct.
There is no human reason why Luke and I should still be wed today, much less serving the body of Christ. Even though we were not yet believers, our union started off well enough. But we soon faced the heartbreaking yet all too common reality of many young couples: The stress of working different shifts, having more month than money, and living the separate lives that developed in the midst of it resulted in our parting ways and filing for divorce two short years after the ceremony.
I despised the not-yet-preacher, and the truth is I loathed myself as much as him. We had hurt each other in a million ways, and all I could think of was getting away and starting over. We were within a week of our divorce being final when one night I received a bizarre phone call from him. He told me he had started going to church and wanted us to rethink what we were doing.
I went off the deep end! I spewed, “So you are turning into a religious fanatic—and you think that is going to fix everything?” I was so full of hate and bitterness, and it still makes me blush to think of all the horrible things I said to him about his newfound religion. He continued, very patiently, to call and tell me he was asking God for a miracle as the clock ticked toward the day our marriage would be legally over.
One night during the critical week before the divorce was final, I had gone to bed, still convinced divorce was the only answer. For some reason, I woke up around two a.m. and the tears began to flow. I missed my husband so badly I could barely lay there. I remember thinking, “What is wrong with you? You cannot stand him! It’s almost over, just hang in there.” I realize now that voice was Satan’s, bent on thwarting God’s plan for us. If you ask me how I know prayer works, or how I know God can turn a cold, black heart into one that can feel love, laughter, and joy (Ezek. 11:19), I will point you to that night because it is the one that changed everything.
I called Luke the next day. One conversation led to another, and we called the lawyer to stop the divorce proceedings. I tentatively moved back home with him, and we began visiting churches. I was still not very thrilled about the “God thing,” but I knew for some reason I wanted my husband back and this would play a part. Would it ever!
One night soon afterward, my hubby came to me in our living room and told me he had just prayed for salvation. He’d gone to church his whole life, but it was only at that time he truly accepted Christ as his Savior. I grew up in a totally different denomination, so this Baptist way of doing things was a little traumatic for me. I was glad for him, but I still wasn’t so sure what that meant for me. For personal reasons, organized religion held no real appeal, so I was very afraid of how having my husband become so radically different was going to affect me and our life together. Seemingly out of the blue, I began having feelings of not being good enough for this new man, and shame over my own sin slowly entered my heart.
For me, salvation was not a lightning-bolt experience but rather an intellectual process at first. I needed to understand it. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the Cross is foolishness for those who are perishing but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” I know the Spirit of God enabled me to believe what I was hearing because obviously I could have still walked away a scoffer. We were attending my husband’s childhood church, and the pastor became a dear friend and mentor to us both. He started a small group in his home, and I was able to ask all my questions in a very nonthreatening environment. That man was very patient with me as I asked everything from “What does ‘once saved, always saved’ mean?” to “When do you think the rapture will happen?” Sometime in the midst of those sessions, I realized I had already made a decision. That decision was for life—both for Jesus Christ and until-death-do-us-part with my husband. I asked the Lord to “officially” save me and soon afterward made that public in the body of people who had prayed so faithfully for us both.
If this had been the end of the story I would have been happily-ever-after indeed. Little did I know our tale was only beginning.
The Call
Over the next weeks, I watched Luke transform in front of my eyes. Where once stood a rough-around-the-edges construction worker, I now found a softened gentleman. Where turmoil had churned, peace now reigned. A thirst for the world was replaced by an unquenchable longing to drink up every bit of the Word that he’d neglected for the past years.
I’m in no way suggesting that a called minister is on a plane above any other Christian, but what I will say is that even in my own spiritually immature state, what I saw happening in Luke seemed to be so much more fervent than what I saw in other men. And as for my own walk, Luke’s desire made me long for more. If I can be so biased, Luke was special—an opinion I still hold.
I tell you this because I want you to understand that after Luke finally told me he believed God was calling him to minister, my head was shocked, but my heart wasn’t. Something in me perceived our life had taken a twist that surpassed simply returning to our old lives a renewed version of our previous selves. We both were experiencing intense restlessness in our jobs. I had just left an entire career on a lark. And Luke, who had always loved his trade and coworkers, began dreading the alarm clock every morning.
Have you ever read the book The Return of the King in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy? In the end Frodo the hobbit leaves his home, the Shire, after risking his life to save it. When explaining to his best friend, Sam, why he has to go, he says, “There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same.” In much the same way, the dailiness of our lives had taken on a sense of not-quite-belonging in the place that had always been familiar. Accepting the fact that God was calling us to serve Him in some capacity was like turning a dial to the last number on a combination lock. The “rightness” of it clicked, and suddenly the future was wide open.
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
Luke and I began to pray and seek God for what He wanted us to do—definitely a first in our married lives. I have no biblical basis for what I am going to say next, but I believe God answers the prayers of baby Christians with a shout instead of a whisper. God has taught us how to discern Him more through prayer and His Word now, but in those early days He had to throw out the flashing neon signs before our own lightbulbs lit up.
The first two of those signs were named Al and Doyle. Both of these men mentioned the name of Clear Creek Baptist Bible College within two days of one another. Al had just returned from a Constructors for Christ project, during which they had built new one-bedroom duplexes for married students without children. Doyle was a longtime supporter of the school. These days I call that type of communication from God a double affirmation, but then we were still thinking, “Hmmm.… That’s odd. I wonder if we are supposed to look into this?”
And God was saying, “Ya think?” while restraining Himself from knocking our foolish heads together.
Luke hesitated contacting the school to request information because he had no hopes of getting in. What I’ve not yet told you is that he didn’t graduate high school. What dropout had any kind of chance to go to college? He finally mustered the nerve to call, and we scheduled a visit. We still didn’t know for what. Both of us realized we wouldn’t be able to go right away but thought maybe the school could give some pointers on what Luke could do to become a student someday.
We traveled to the college and were in love at first sight. The campus was set in the mountains and was absolute lush, peaceful perfection. Arriving there felt like coming home, which at the time was heartbreaking because we knew this place couldn’t possibly be in our near future.
The following day we met the director of admissions, Jay. He was and remains one of the most boisterous, joyful, encouraging people we have ever known. Luke explained his full situation—particularly the part about not having a diploma. Luke expected to hear, “Sorry, son, but you don’t belong here. Come back in a year or two when you are good enough.” Instead Jay chuckled and said, “No problem!!”
No problem? How is not having a high school diploma not a problem?!
Brother Jay enthusiastically went on to explain there was a special program in this college for men who did not have a high-school degree. They would take regular college courses and also be tutored for high school in the freshman year. Students had two semesters to pass the GED, at which point they would have official student status and all classes would count toward a fully accredited degree.
And just like that, there was Neon Sign Three, and it blinked wildly, “Road Open!”
One patient, gracious God gave us three signs in an overwhelming answer to our many prayers—and they all pointed toward our new home. (One of the homes Al built, no less!)
Absolutely Certain (I Think)
Well, enough about us—for now anyway! Since I’ve shared a little backstory with you, I’d like to talk about what I believe is one of the foundational principles of our lives as ministry wives: the nature of our own call.
I realize each of our inductions into a life of ministry was met with different levels of enthusiasm. It’s not every woman who looks forward to low salaries and high expectations. Of frequent moves and misunderstood children. Of criticism and conflict. These are just a few stereotypical pitfalls that can understandably cause a woman to put the skids on any plans her man has for serving in vocational ministry.
As Luke was processing the call God placed on his life, I was blessedly ignorant of all the things I just listed. My church experience was limited to a few years of attendance as a child, so I really had no comprehension of the chew-’em-up-and-spit-’em-out reputation of churches where ministers are concerned. Naïveté is not always a bad thing—especially when knowing all the details could result in being too fearful to take the leap into God’s plan for your future.
But what part do you play in what God is asking your husband to do? Has God called you in the same manner as him? My short answer is to state plainly that every wife has the God-given role of being a faithful helpmeet no matter if her husband is a banker, a mechanic, or a schoolteacher. However, there are unique challenges and more assured uncertainties for the wife who has the high charge of supporting a man directed to leave the familiar behind and follow God’s call into the unknown. What are some of those challenges, and how should we who find ourselves in this situation react? Let’s learn from someone who has gone before us—Abraham’s wife, Sarah.
A Woman Out of Control
We meet Sarah in Genesis 11:30 and are told simply, “[She] was barren; she had no children.” In the Middle Eastern culture, Sarah’s dignity was directly tied to her being married and having babies. Since she was childless, she would not have risked staying behind without her husband, no matter how unsure she may have been about Abraham asking her to leave Ur. There was nothing but shame for Sarah in Ur without Abraham.
And conversely, there was nothing in Canaan for Abraham without Sarah. It was out of Sarah’s infertility that God would perform one of His most awesome works—the miraculous birth of a nation consecrated to Himself. Abraham could have found any number of women who weren’t suffering from the heartbreak of barrenness to be his wife. However, the supernatural birth of Isaac was the requirement for properly illustrating God’s glory through human hopelessness.
Long before Abraham met Sarah, God purposed for the two of them to be the human agents through whom He would bless the nations. Neither of them could have participated in God’s plan alone—each needed the other. That concept is no different for those God continues to call today to spread the good news throughout the world.
When I think of all the quirks and hang-ups that Luke and I both have, it is amazing to realize that for the most part we do not have the same ones. Luke is painfully shy; I’m the social extrovert. Luke is compassionate to a fault where I am more critical. Luke doesn’t understand drama, and I am a master of it; therefore, I am able to help him comprehend the underlying issues women have when he has no clue how to proceed. God placed us together as a team to complement one another’s weaknesses and to nurture the spiritual children He has entrusted to our care. I have total and complete faith in Luke’s ability and he in mine, and yet neither of us believes for a second we could have any measure of ministry success without the support of the other.
To the reluctant ministry wife, I understand your fear. I know your need to have some input on how and where you are going to raise your family. Even the wondrous event of God entering into covenant with Abraham on the assurance of an heir was not enough to keep Sarah from trying to control the way in which the promised child would come into the world. And thirteen years later, Sarah laughed when they were told once again she would have a son. Abraham’s seed could only be reckoned through Sarah, and that required a separate faith on her part—a willing participation in what God purposed to accomplish through their son, Isaac. Sarah wasn’t perfect. She could be harsh and unbelieving and manipulative. However, Hebrews 11:11 tells us God gave her strength to participate in the creation and blessing of nations because “she considered Him faithful who had promised” (NASB).
My personal feeling is that we can make the idea of serving in ministry way more complex than God ever intended. In the case of Abraham, God promised children more numerous than the stars in the sky and the sands on the seashore, but He didn’t ask him to birth them all! He gave Abraham charge over one piece of that promise—beloved Isaac. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the enormity of what God is asking us to do that we forget the Big Picture is composed of individual frames of obedience. I’m guilty of shutting down physically and mentally when the job seems way too big—and all God has asked of me is to trust Him one day at a time. It’s much easier to walk into the unknown if we can focus on being faithful with what is required of us today, trusting God for His faithfulness in all our tomorrows.
It’s Simple, Really
Are we called alongside our husbands? Absolutely. Is the life we are called to complex? You bet. But, based on my personal experience and the example of Sarah, I believe we are asked to do three things that will simplify our thinking and therefore help us to not only accept but look forward to a certain future.
We are called to trust.
1 Peter 3:6 says, “Just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, … you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear” (NASB).
This verse is found in a passage describing how a woman’s beauty is to be found internally instead of externally (verses 1–5). Among other things, Peter describes how a woman should be in willing subjection to her husband, even if he is not a believer. Dread shouldn’t motivate her in yielding to him, but rather a healthy fear of God’s mandate to honor her husband. Sarah’s singular obedience was dually blessed. She wanted to obey God by following Abraham. God’s laws are not arbitrary and are not given without benefit attached. Sarah’s reward was the gift of inclusion into the blessing of the nations that God had intended through Abraham. If we seek to surrender our lives to God’s will through His call on our husbands, we will be given the blessed distinction of being a daughter of Sarah.
So what does this type of obedience look like in a minister’s wife? Certainly the amount of reluctance you are feeling towards this role will dictate the type of faith it will take to accompany your husband into the unknown. Hear me well when I say that no matter how much initial trepidation I feel when God asks something of our family, He has yet to call Luke to a task without also piercing my own heart. It is always heartbreaking for me to talk to ministry wives who do not express any sense of calling toward their husband’s work. The reasons are endless, but most often the wife incorrectly believes that his ministry is just another vocation and has nothing to do with her, or she absolutely wants nothing to do with a life with trappings holding no obvious appeal.
You may ask, “Is it wrong if I don’t want my husband to be a preacher? Can anyone blame me if I don’t want to leave what is comfortable and predictable? What if I don’t want to move away from my extended family?” And bigger still, “What if I don’t trust my husband to discern God’s voice?”
If you find yourself feeling this way, then it is time to look past your wants and even those of your husband and straight to the face of God. Ask Him what He requires of you. Are you willing to trust Him with your unknown? Are you willing to obey even if you believe your man has some static in his radio? I wish I had an easy answer here, but in reality these questions can only be hashed out in some sincere facedown time with the Father. Because I continually remember the comfort and reassurance He has offered me with these same fears, I can promise you He’ll invade your heart with a much-needed peace in the midst of the pain that often goes along with hard-fought obedience.
Luke and I had no idea in the beginning what our exact ministry would look like. Would we be missionaries? Would he be behind a pulpit? Would we work in a parachurch organization? We had no clue. In the same way, be assured you won’t always know every detail of what God is asking of you. However, though the what may be unclear, we can always trust the motivation of the Who. Our faith in His promises and the assurance of His continual blessing upon the nations through our obedience in spreading His Word is enough to follow our man wherever God leads.
We are called to participate.
Hebrews 11:11–12 says, “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore” (NASB).
I can identify with Sarah on so many levels. Though she is heralded as a model of faithfulness, we know she behaved badly in her doubt. Just think about her side for a bit. God made these covenant promises to Abraham but never mentioned Sarah’s name once until she was ninety years old—some twenty-five years after God first appeared to her husband. She knew God promised Abraham an heir, and when the plan she hatched to speed that along resulted in Hagar’s pregnancy, Sarah may have felt left out by God entirely.
Are you like the girl in the beginning of this chapter who felt no one needed her? Do you ever feel left behind to cook, clean, and take care of babies while your husband spends the better part of his days ministering to everyone but you? Are you convinced he is having a blast crusading for the kingdom while you are stuck at home in the castle—as Cinderella no less?
Obviously the season of life you are in dictates to what degree you are able to participate in the work of the church. Listen closely, young mothers! Your ministry in this stage of life is to those precious babies in your care. If you have your own desires to serve in things such as women’s ministry, Bible study, administration, etc., your day will come. Some of you are able to soldier on and do these things in addition to caring for your toddlers, but many are just not able to do it all. And you know what? You aren’t supposed to. If you find your home is suffering and your kids are begging for your attention, then they—not church ministry—take absolute precedence. Never, ever apologize for making your family first!
My children are no longer babies, but I am just as busy with them in other ways. Diaper changing and bottle feeding have given way to homework and taxi service to whatever sport they are playing at the moment. Though I consider myself active in ministry, there are many things I don’t do. For example, I don’t always make it to the funeral home every time someone passes, due to the simple fact that I would have to bring my kids and I don’t particularly think they enjoy going any more than I enjoy having to get them dressed and wrangling them once there. I do have a tradeoff, however—I help with the meal if we are hosting one for the grieving family. The kids can hang out in a back room, and the stress is greatly relieved for them and for me. Not to mention our darling church ladies always fix the kids a plate from the leftovers. This is my way of letting the family know I love them, I care, and I am taking part to the best of my current ability without making myself crazy.
No matter if you are a seasoned ministry wife or a relative newbie, there is always one thing your congregation will pick up on loud and clear—your willingness to serve despite your inability. Do you work outside the home but do your best to participate in the body when possible? The church knows this and for the most part will understand. (Oh, there will always be exceptions!)
However, what they will not easily forgive is when you take a seat in the back and refuse to play a part—able or not. There are many women who are embittered by the demands the church has placed on their family’s life and time, therefore they refuse to support their husband’s ministry or the church body in any way, shape, or form. We’ll discuss in a later chapter the delicate balance between home and church life, but let’s just say for now that this attitude is extremely unhealthy and can be a huge detriment to your husband’s relationship with the church. The support the congregation perceives your husband receiving from you and your willingness to care for them even if you aren’t able to do all that you’d like is a bridge between their hearts and your man’s. Just like Sarah, your participation in his call is not only nice but necessary for him to effectively live out what God will do through him, whether you realize it now or not.
We are called to hope.
A life in ministry ultimately calls us to one thing: a hope for a greater glory than current circumstances reveal. I can’t think of a higher charge than the invitation to participate in God’s good intentions toward His creation. Sarah considered God faithful in His promises towards her, and because of that, she was able to look past the difficult years of childlessness and hold the manifestation of God’s blessing in her own arms.
Many years ago I watched a mafia movie (I don’t have any idea what it is called) where a gangster was teaching his young son about trust. The boy was on a ladder, and the father repeatedly told him to fall backward into his arms: “Don’t worry! I’m your father. Do you really think I’d let you be hurt?” The boy was more frightened of his dad than the fall, so he let go of the ladder. As he fell the dad stepped to the side and let him crash to the ground. His son stared up in surprised pain as the father said, “Never trust anyone.”
I think many of us have the mindset that God is the father who is setting us up for a huge fall and that we can’t trust Him to keep something painful from happening to us. The difference is He is standing in your unknown saying, “You can ALWAYS trust me!”
He never promises our lives won’t hurt, but you know what? He will always cushion us. Certainly there are hard days but in the midst of them you will find laughter, just like Abraham and Sarah. Sometimes those giggles you share will be born out of pure joy and at other times from incredulous unbelief. The thing to always remember is that you and your husband are in this thing together. There is no part of what God intends to do through either of you that isn’t intimately intertwined with the love and support of the other. God has appointed your husband according to his gifts, and your first priority as his wife is to affirm him in this role. However, many of you have desires for ministry that will involve taking off in your own direction. That doesn’t mean you supplant your hubby, but in the appropriate season, there will be many ways in which your own talents will broaden the scope of what he is able to do alongside you versus going it alone.
If You Say So
One of the coolest things about this book is the fact that these are not just my own observations! I mentioned in the introduction that I have a blog called The Preacher’s Wife (www.apreacherswife.com). Blogs are explained in greater detail in Appendix A of this book.
As part of the research for this project I asked a series of survey questions to the ministry wives who hang out with me online. (I’m excited to tell you there are a lot of them!) These Round Table discussions provide advice and encouragement from women who are serving in the trenches just like you. More than anything, I pray this book confirms the fact you are not alone in your circumstances, your joys, your struggles, or your opinions. I am so thrilled to introduce you to an online community of women who absolutely understand where you are coming from. I’ve also gathered comments from laypeople. I think it is imperative that we hear from both perspectives in order to understand one another’s hearts and hopefully build stronger relationships.
Now let me be clear: I am in no way saying that “virtual” friends should replace your flesh and blood ones. What I can tell you is that I have met many women in person that I’ve first made contact with online through my blog and they’ve become my dearest confidants. Blogs are but one fresh and relevant way to establish connections with women who will support you in your role as a ministry wife. We’ll discuss those various avenues in a later chapter centered on friendships.
For ease of identification (and to show off my excessive-texting-abbreviation skills), my blog friends will be known as the M2M Girls (as in, Married to Ministry Girls). Make sense? Let’s see what they had to share about their perspectives on calling.
Round Table
“I never wanted to be a pastor’s wife. When my husband felt called (before we got engaged) I had doubts. But, what God wanted and had planned was far greater than I knew at the time. He eventually convinced my heart to follow Him.”—Sarah @ Life in the Parsonage “I feel like my highest calling is to be my husband’s supporter, his encourager, his helpmate. I believe that my service in the home, especially at this season in our lives with small children, is the biggest call in that ministry. He could not focus on doing the greatest part of his calling—preaching the gospel—if I didn’t do mine.”—Crystal @ Life Is Nothing Without Him “As a layperson, I think it is obvious when a wife doesn’t share her husband’s passion for ministry. I don’t believe a pastor’s wife has to be everyone’s friend or attend every church event. But I do think you can tell by her general demeanor if she is ministry-minded. And, rightly or wrongly, the vibe I get from her reflects on her husband.”—Lori (layperson) “I felt a call to ministry years before I met my husband, and deep down I hoped that call meant I would marry a minister. My challenge came several years later when he started thinking about leaving the ministry and I thought, ‘Wait a minute. I married you as a minister, so you have to stay one!’ I came to realize that I was married to him—a person, not his title—and I would love him no matter what.”—Kecia @ Kecia’s Journey “I don’t know of any other occupation that my husband could have that would require me to be a part of the ‘package deal’ (for free) except the ministry. That took some getting used to!”—Sherry @ Life at the Parsonage “It’s easy to spot a woman who’s happy for and proud of her husband’s life/accomplishments/calling. It may not be easy for her to ‘follow’ when she is in the background with young children (early on), but she is proud of her man’s walk and character. That is a beautiful thing to see.”—Darnelle (layperson) @ All Things Work Together
Now That You Know:
How are you responding to God’s call on your husband? Seek out a seasoned pastor’s wife and ask her to share her experience with you for reassurance. Take the power away from the vague fears Satan will give you about the uncertainties you face by writing down what scares you. Search out the truth of God’s Word to apply to each. Afraid of moving away from family? Claim Matthew 19:29. Worried your family will not be provided for? Pray Psalm 37:25. Laypeople: Has a man in your congregation announced a call to ministry? He is often congratulated and much is made over his decision, but his wife may be struggling in his shadow. Take the time to encourage her by pointing out the gifts she has that will be an asset to him. If there isn’t a new minister in your midst, consider writing a note of encouragement to your existing pastor’s wife to let her know what a vital part she plays in her husband’s work.
What's better than biscuits for breakfast? Biscuits for dinner! And bacon and eggs and a tall glass of frothy milk. I've been making my own southern-style biscuits for years. There's something cozy and homy in the making of them and something enduringly comforting in sinking your teeth into them.
AB's biscuits are almost as good as mine. Ok, ok, they're better. Here's why.
1. He uses butter and shortening. I've always abhorred shortening. Give me fat over hydrogenation any day. So I've substituded butter for the shortening every time. But Alton makes a good point. Butter and shortening melt at different temperatures. By using only butter, I was creating "a very different rise." If I wanted to substitude something, it should have been with margarine which is also oil based and melts at a similar temperature to shortening. But then, margarine isn't much better health-wise than shortening. The results were so worth the hydrogenation polluting the arteries.
2. He weighs his dry ingredients. I'm not scientifically brainy enough to understand all the ins and outs of why weighing is more accurate than measuring. All I know is it's as fun as a lightning bugs in summer. I've always had a weakness for shiny things.
What Alton taught me:
Using a cutter keeps the biscuits uniform so they cook evenly. Oh, and America no longer sells biscuit cutters. At least not Kroger, Publix, Winn Dixie, or Bed Bath & Beyond. What's with that?! Short of heading to a larger kitchen supply store in Atlanta, I'll have to resort to good ole Amazon. In the meantime, an inverted cup works just as well.
How’d your first week of Spanish go? You should be confident reciting the alphabet now with your kids not far behind. I don’t expect they can say them out of order. If they can, way to go, mom! Most kids won’t be able to do that for some time, but it’s not important right now anyway. The goal was only to familiarize them with the sounds of the letters and begin training their tongues to reproduce them.
Now that the kids are comfortable saying the alphabet, let’s see how well they can do on their own. Write the Spanish alphabet on a blank sheet of paper and see how well they do pointing to each letter and saying its correct name. Keep them in order. No jumping around yet. Do the same with the vowels. These are the trickiest simply because our brains automatically revert to the English vowel sounds.
Run through both of these once or twice each day this week.
(If you didn’t catch yesterday’s post, head over there now for a few more details on the upcoming lessons.)
For advanced or older students, we will be working on greetings this month.
This week’s optional material is: Me llamo _____. My name is ____. (literally, I call myself ____) Tengo ____ años. I am _____ years old. (literally, I have____ years.)
Monday
Review: Alphabet
New Material: Sentence #1--Yo tengo un lápiz. I have a pencil.
Notes: Say each word in the above sentence, slowly and clearly. Have each child repeat it until you feel they’ve got the gist of it. Explain what the sentence means.
Today’s focus: yo tengo--I have
Activity suggestion:
Game--Collect 10-15 objects from around the house and place them in a dark bag. Make sure to include one pencil per person participating. Make sure they’re dull or unsharpened to avoid being poked. Without looking, take turns pulling out one object at a time. Each person much identify the object he/she has by saying “Yo tengo a bag of marbles”. Finding crazy things to put in the bag makes it all the more fun. To get you started, here’s a list of objects you might include.
A banana peel in a zip-top bag.
Half a roll of toilet paper, or just the tube.
The lid to a food storage container.
A shoe lace.
A crumpled up piece of paper.
Enough snacks for each kid, a fruit roll-up, for example. Hey, it’s Spanish class, not nutrition class. ;)
Don’t forget the pencils!
Tuesday
Review: Alphabet and sentence#1--Yo tengo un lápiz.
Notes: Reviews should never take more than 3-5 minutes.
New Material: de color naranja, of color orange (literal translation) la naranja, the orange (the fruit)
Notes: With any other color, it isn’t necessary to add “de color” in front of the actual color. It is done in this case to distinguish between the color and the fruit. If your child keeps forgetting to add these two clarifying words, it’s ok. Just move on. The actual color is what’s most important at this point. Remember, with any other color, you simply add the color after the noun. “Yo tengo un lápiz verde.” We’ll add more colors to their vocabulary on Thursday.
Today’s focus: un/el lápiz, a/the pencil
Notes: Teach the difference between un and el giving their translations. Don’t worry about explaining gender yet. We’ll tackle that later. For younger students, teach only un.
Activity Suggestion:
Flash cards—For each new object (or noun) they learn, the kids will be making their own flashcard. Cut a piece of construction paper (or typing paper) in quarters. Have the kids draw and color an orange pencil on one side of one piece of paper. On the other side, write el lápiz with a pencil, or light colored pen so it doesn’t bleed through. Do the same on another quarter of the paper with la naranja.
Snack: oranges!
Wednesday
Review: Alphabet and Sentence #1.
New Material: Sentence #2—Yo escribo con mi/el lápiz, I write with my/the pencil.
Notes: You’ll want to give the translation, but many times it won’t be necessary to translate word for word. It makes sense to you which English word belongs with which Spanish word and it will make sense to them too. Say it enough, repeat the words enough in difference sentences, use them in everyday language as much as you can, and they’ll just pick it up. Don’t waste time and create boredom doing drills.
Today’s focus: yo escribo, I write
Suggested Activity:
Putting it into practice—Give a blank sheet of writing paper to each child. Take turns telling each other what you must write. While you write it, you must say. For example, “yo escribo my name,” and you write your name. (other suggestions—yo escribo my age, or yo escribo the number 13,752, or…the silliest word you can think up).
Thursday
Review: Alphabet and both sentence 1 and 2
New material: Choose 2 new colors to learn and add them to the sentences we already know. Chose colors of pencils you have in your pencil tin.
Notes: Basic list of colors. naranja--orange rojo—red amarillo—yellow azul—blue verde—green blanco—white negro—black pink—rosa púrpura—purple
Activity Suggestion
Gather pencils, at least one of each of the three different colors they’ve learned. Make sure each child has a pencil, even if you repeat colors. Sit in a circle and take turns saying “yo tengo un lápiz _____”(add your color). See how fast you can go around the circle without breaking your rhythm. Don’t sacrifice enunciation for speed!
Friday
Review: everything learned
New material: none
Handwriting practice: As neatly as possible, have those students old enough write the two sentences they’ve learned. They can chose one of the colors to add to the end of either sentence. We’ll be referring to these throughout the upcoming weeks.
Notebook: We’ll be creating a notebook. Use lined writing paper and keep them together in a folder. A spiral bound notebook isn’t practical for our purposes. We’ll be referring to these throughout the upcoming weeks.
Words to add this week—
Under “action words”—tengo and escribo
Under “objects”—el lápiz, la naranja,
Under “small words”—el, la, con, yo, un, mi
Please post any questions, suggestions, or comments below.
Our first week of “real” work in Spanish begins next Monday! It’s going to be a great week, I just know it. With each one that passes, your kids will be more and more confident as Spanish speakers. And what’s better than your kids actually speaking Spanish. You will too!
If you’re just joining in, skip over here and find out what all the excitement is about!
Next week’s lesson plans will be posted tomorrow. Here are just a few things to take note of before plunging in.
1. Learning Spanish should be a family affair. Nature’s Language School is designed with simultaneous multi-age learning in mind. It’ll be so much more fun (and helpful) if done together, as a family.
2. Age levels and how to address the differences. This curriculum is written for the 7-10 year old, although for the average older child (and even the average adult), the material presented will be the ideal amount to be grasped and retained in one week’s time.
3. Let the younger children play the games, repeat the sentences, and do their best to learn, but keep expectations to a minimum. Whatever they glean, however minimal, will be a beneficial to them. Please do not slow the learning process for the older ones in order to allow the younger to keep up.
4. For older students, I will be offering optional advanced material each week. It will be up to you to decide how and when to present the additional sentences, as well as remembering to review it.
5. Remember to apply your sentences throughout the day and always keep lessons fun!
I've decided Sherlock is a pretty cool guy. He's confirmed something I've hypothesized for years--that the brain has a limited capacity and when new data goes in, old date must be disposed of to give room. At least that's been my excuse all these years! But if Mr. Holmes says it, it must be true. He is a super smart dude. Hmm...what does that say about me??
Excerpt from "A Study in Scarlet", Chapter 2
That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I (Watson) could hardly realize it. “You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.” “To forget it!” “You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
My rating: 5 of 5 stars One moment Carrie Weaver was looking forward to running away with Lancaster Barnstormers pitcher Solomon Riehl—plans that included leaving the Amish community where they grew up. The next moment she was staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now, Carrie is faced with a choice. But will this opportunity be all she hoped? Or will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever?
(back cover copy, “The Choice”)
For Carrie Weaver, it’s all about choices, tough ones. Deciding whether to follow the man she loves or follow the Amish faith is just the beginning. With a hemophiliac father and brother, life for Carrie is spent wondering when the next accident will return them to the emergency room. Will the next wound be the one that won’t stop bleeding? The one to take a precious life?
And what would happen if one of them was to die? How would it change life for her? What choices would she be forced to make then?
Solomon Riehl must also make a choice—pursue a dream career or the woman he loves. The complications? To choose the first, he’d have to renounce the Amish faith. For the second, his selfish nature.
And then there’s Mattie. Sweet Mattie who trusts God so implicitly she’s certain one day she’ll marry the only man she’s ever loved. When everyone else loses hope in him, Mattie’s still there, seeing beyond the flaws straight to his potential…if only he’d see it himself. But there’s another hurdle to jump. Her best friend, Carrie, loves him too.
True to form, author Suzanne W. Fisher has created an outstanding story. It took me several chapters to appreciate it, but once I did, I couldn’t put the book down.
The overriding theme in the novel is choices--little and big. What to do with the orchards this fall, how to meet the tax payment following tragedy. Love, marriage, and faith.
But there’s more.
The choice we all must make at different times in our lives is so subtly woven through the story, the reader isn’t aware of it until all the pieces fall into place. Each character in “The Choice” is struck by tragedy in some form. Each takes a different path in their attempt to cope. Some succeed in putting their lives back together. Others don’t. What’s the deciding factor between their victories and failures?
For those who’ve devotedly followed Ms. Fisher’s flourishing writing career, this latest work will confirm your loyalty. For everyone else, what are you waiting for?!
No matter your taste in fiction, this is a tale you shouldn’t miss.
Sawmill gravy--a southern version of bechamel. And hearty good eats.
Gravy's never been my strong point. Let's put it this way. I hate making it. It's so finicky! So sad for me, since I love eating it.
Great idea crumbling sausage into the gravy to cover all those lumps. Oh, that's not what it's for? Bummer. Well, it worked nicely for me. And it tasted great on my new and improved AB biscuits.
It's an art form in the making, and I'm a patient lady. (I'm still diligently perfecting my fried egg flip.)
In short. 1. Excellent recipe. 2. Need more practice.
What I learned:
There are five levels of cooking a roux--white, blond, brown, brick, and black. Each level delivers more flavor but less thickening power.
So you’ve decided to try it Nature’s Language School? So happy to have you!
(I will always writing assuming you know nothing of the Spanish language.)
The first order of business is to learn the Spanish alphabet. The sounds of the Spanish consonants are very similar to our English consonants, so for the most part, it will only be necessary to learn their names. Their vowels only have one sound each. Isn’t that wonderful? They have four additional letters to their alphabet that will need to be paid special attention to.
I speak Castilian Spanish but will try to remember to give pronunciations in Mexican Spanish, since that is most relevant to our country.
For this week, you will only learn the alphabet. It doesn’t seem like much, but pronunciation is extremely important. It will keep you all busy! In general, Americans butcher the beautiful Spanish language. Let’s give it our best shot this week.
Here it is:
A- ah, as in “almost”
B- be, as in “bet”
C- se, as “set”
D- de, as in “delve”
E- eh, as in “egg” (from here on, all “eh”s are the sound found in “egg”)
F- ehfe, as in “feticcini”
G- heh, there is no English equivalent to their “g” sound. Try to make the beginning h of “heh” from the back of the throat. It’s a soft sound. No hawking up phlegm.
H- ahcheh, as in “almost”+ “church”. The Spanish H is only pronounced when found in the middle of a word. At the beginning, it is silent.
I- e, as in “eagle”
J- hotah, again no English equivalent, however the beginning “h” is the same as “g’s”. Be gentle. There is nothing harsh about the Spanish language. The “o” in “hohtah” is long, as in “open” but open-ended. Don’t close the vowels, as we do in English.
K- kah, as in “caught”
L- eleh, as in “elephant”
M- ehmeh, as in “met”
N- ehneh, as in “nest”
O- oh, as in “omit”, leave this long vowel sound open!
P- peh, as “pesky”
Q- koo, as in “kooky”
R- ehreh, “rest”. The Spanish R is the most difficult letter for English speakers to pronounce correctly. Hint-when saying the “re” part of “ehreh”, use the tip of the tongue to tap the top of the mouth just behind the teeth and leave the lips relaxed. To pucker the lips and use the back of the tongue only produces the hard English R sound we want to avoid.
S- ehseh, as in “set”
T- teh, as in “television”
U- oo, as in “oodles”
V- oobe, as in “oodles” + “bet”. The Spanish “v” is usually pronounced as a soft “b”.
W- oobe dohbleh, as in the above “v”sound + “blemish”. Literally “double v”. In Spanish, this letter is only found in adopted foreign words.
X- ehkees, as in “keys”
Y- ee gree-ehgah, as in “eagle”+ “greed” + “ehgah”. Soft R!! Literally means “greek i”
Z- sehtah, as in “set”+ “tottle”
Extra letters:
CH cheh, as in “check”. Comes right after “c”. I believe this might no longer be considered a letter of the alphabet, but simply a special sound. We English speakers know all about special sounds!
LL ehyeh, as in “yes”. Comes right after “L”.
Ñ ehnyeh, as in “endanger” + “yes”. Comes after “N”.
RR ehreh, same as the Spanish “r” sound, but roll the “r” gently
This list is for you. Unless you’re planning to use Nature’s Language School with an older child, (middle school and up) please do not show this list to your child. You learn the pronunciations until they easily for you, then teach them one after the other, slowly and carefully to your child.
I suggest (once you’re comfortable with it yourself) go through the list twice, several times each day. It shouldn’t take more than 3-5 minutes each time.
You may learn the additional letters separately or in their proper place in the alphabet. If you omit the extra letters, the alphabet can be sung much as our English alphabet is to the tune of “Twinkle, twinkle”.
You might be tempted, but please do not rush or ignore this week’s work. Remember, the best accent you can give your child is a gift he will forever have. Don’t be discouraged by your own clumsy tongue. Just do the best you can. God rewards diligence!
This week will be great preparation for pronouncing those sentences that are coming next week!
Keep me updated. Let me know how it’s going!
I hope you’re as excited as I am, and I pray this week will be productive for you.
God bless!
'
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
A man who has given his life to a deep examination of the Word of God, Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe is an internationally known Bible teacher, former pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago and the author of more than 150 books. For over thirty years, millions have come to rely on the timeless wisdom of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s “Be” Commentary series. Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary and insights on Scripture have helped readers understand and apply God’s Word with the goal of life transformation. Dubbed by many as the “pastor’s pastor,” Dr. Wiersbe skillfully weaves Scripture with historical explanations and thought-provoking questions, communicating the Word in such a way that the masses grasp its relevance for today. +cover.JPG)
“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”
The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher
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