The first week of May we were away for a ministry trip in Pennsylvania. We had to pass near my parents’ on the way home, so we stayed for Mother’s Day weekend. We fit in blood work, a coffee shop, the tea room and one of my Mom’s delectable Sunday dinners after visiting our old church.
As soon as we unpacked, we had a week of revival services at our church. Even though our week was busy, I went to coffee with my oldest son and took the two younger boys to play at the park with cousins.
The third week of May was less rushed. I had coffee with a friend, a date night with my husband and some routine appointments like car repairs and a yearly doctor appointment with one of the kids.
Our final week of May was full with a special ladies’ meeting where my mom and sister spoke, the boys’ spring piano recital and end-of-the-year achievement tests. We hosted Memorial Day at our house again this year with 26 people eating, playing volleyball, running through the sprinkler and chatting. It was a fun weekend with family. We were keenly aware that it was only possible because of the many who gave their lives for our freedom.
As you know, my word for the year is Eternity. You can read more about what’s behind it here. In short, I have three sets of goals for this year. My PERSONAL goals are going well. I worked on each of them steadily and made progress on each one.
My PEOPLE goals are in three areas reminding me of keeping an Eternity perspective:
HOMEMAKING – Creating a Reflection of Heaven Here on Earth
I accomplished two small homemaking goals for May. I finished putting all of my china and linens in my new hutch, and I helped (minimally) my husband hang the sconces in the living room. This was the final wall decoration to complete the downstairs decor.
HOSPITALITY – Impacting Others for Heaven
We enjoyed others’ hospitality more than we provided it for others in May. However, we thoroughly enjoyed having everyone here for Memorial Day.
HOMESCHOOLING – Preparing My Own Disciples for Heaven
I had some bittersweet moments as I packed up all of our elementary books. I have finished sixth grade for the fifth time. The younger boys finished their end-of-year tests, and Jeffery is preparing for his first ACT test in June. It was a great year, and we learned a lot. As always, we intend to keep learning real life lessons over the summer.
My PRINT goals, as I mentioned in my word of the year post, include this blog, another writing project I’m working on (may share when it’s finished) and what I’m reading. Besides this post, I also posted about how making a home here relates to our home in Heaven. If you missed it, you can read it here.
What I Read In May:
Devotional Reading: I read the book of Revelation and am still reading in Isaiah as well as 3 Psalms each Sunday. I am alternating between two books to read with my devotions, The Gift of Pain:Why We Hurt and What We Can Do About It by Paul Brand and Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers. They are both so helpful and thought-provoking!
The first is a medical missionary’s story of bringing the Gospel to lepers in India and what he learned about pain and touch in the process. Alisa’s book (so far) is a story of so many “good Christian kids” who believed all the right things but didn’t know why. It’s a great mix of narrative, apologetics and finding truth in Scripture.
Ladies, can I just ask us to not check our brains at the door when we read books by popular women authors? Many of them are bad theology and heretical teaching in a charismatic, feel-good package. So far, while I don’t agree with every point she makes, Alisa’s book has been the opposite.
I had begun to notice that when members of my class at church critiqued Christianity’s core beliefs, they often spent less time poring over the Scriptures to discuss the finer points of theology and doctrine and more time reflecting on their disillusionment over unanswered prayers or their personal experiences growing up in legalistic churches.
Alisa Childers, in Another Gospel?
Personal Growth: Things That Matter: Overcoming Distractions to Pursue a More Meaningful Life by Joshua Becker
When your fear of not achieving your purposes is greater than your fear of trying, you’ll begin to overcome the distraction of fear.
Joshua Becker, in Things That Matter
Historical Fiction: I Am David by Anne Holm
This is the heart-wrenching story of a 12-year-old boy who escapes a concentration camp, his thoughts and things he must endure on the way to reunite with his family.
Inspiration for May:
Quotes for Eternity:
Not even God Himself could sink this ship.
Attributed to Edward John Smith, one of the inventors of the Titanic