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I often complain about being out of shape. I have a myriad of excuses for why I find myself gasping for breath on a hike with my long-legged husband or taking an occasional jog with a friend. It’s not that I don’t exercise; I do. In fact, I made it through an hour-long Advanced Tae-Bo video the other day like a champ. But, alas, I have no endurance. I could not do Tae-Bo for a second hour—or every day for that matter. I work out when I have time, I pump some iron when I’ve eaten a few too many Joe Joe’s; but, no, I could not run a marathon. I realized this week, in the face of what seems to be a time of trial and spiritual warfare in and around our family, that we are running the race of our lives; that we are soldiers in a battle. […]
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Paul was nearing the end of his life when he wrote these words: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15). We realize that our sins as Christians, though perhaps not as outwardly gross as before, are more heinous in the sight of God because they are sins against knowledge and against grace. We know better and we know His love, and yet we sin willfully. And then we go back to the cross and realize that Jesus bore even those willful sins in His body on the tree, and the realization of that infinite love compels us to deal with those very sins and to put them to death. Both the fear of God and the love of God motivate us to obedience, and that obedience proves they are authentic in our lives. –from The Practice of Godliness, by Jerry […]
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The Lord knows just what we need. We spent the evening Friday night with our new friends, Tim and Cara, who we met through Oak Grove. The four of us enjoyed a relaxing evening sans children. The conversation was rich and the food was amazing. Our friends blessed us with a spectacular feast at Zinc, where we sampled Crispy Duck Confit Eggrolls, Seared Rare Ahi Tuna, and an array of luscious main courses. It was prom night for our tastebuds. Our evening concluded at Flying Star, where we talked some more over dessert and tea. The Lord provided in so many ways through our special evening, the greatest of which was in the form of answered prayer: more strength for the journey through the companionship of like-minded friends. Then, tonight, my brother and his wife treated us to a family-style Chinese dinner at Chopstix. My brother, Eric, was the first […]
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8 AM–Received Valentines and gifts from The Boys. Lots of canoodling. Presented my Valentine with a mix of love songs made off iTunes, among which were Roberta Flack’s version of “My Romance,” Stevie Wonder’s “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life,” Joss Stone’s remake of “L-O-V-E,” and Vince Gill’s “Whenever You Come Around,” (which we lovingly changed the words to reflect our sentiments about Judah this week: “…I get weak in the knees, and I lose my breath, oh I try to speak, but the words don’t come, I’m so scared to death…when you smile that smile, my world turns upside down–whenever you go unsupervised.”) Okay, I do realize that is only funny if you know the song in your head. 9 AM–Family Devotions: Moses and the burning bush. School with kiddos. Kept markers away from Judah. Played LeapFrog dominoes with Liam while Judah tossed another set in the air […]
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The day is winding down now. We made it through school, though I slept for part of the day fighting a fever while Troy filled in for me. In the midst of the chaos of Monday tasks and household malaise, Judah surreptitiously found his way unnoticed downstairs to wreak havoc. Eighteen months old, and there’s nothing he can’t get his hands on. The other day it was pulling down chicken salad from the top shelf of the refrigerator with his accomplice, the bathroom stool. Today he managed to pull Troy’s laptop down off the kitchen counter where he fixes breakfast while catching up on emails and listening to John MacArthur podcasts. Five minutes of being alone–that’s all it takes for that kid to find trouble. I know Troy’s already overwhelmed heart came to a complete stop when we heard the crash and discovered his laptop on the kitchen floor. I […]
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I hate to be sick. Coughing, shivering, sinus pressure, achiness, fatigue of body, fatigue of mind…do I sound like an Advil commercial yet? My first response is to buck up under it, and press on through with laundry, dishes, projects, and the endless list of concerns waiting to be addressed. But all I can do is STOP–and go to bed. The physical duress of illness is such a good reminder of our frailty and dependence on God–a spiritual lesson not as easily learned in our fast-paced world of distractions and emotional salves. Yet, I am ill today, both physically and emotionally. Praise the Father that no over-the-counter balm will do. Only His mercy will do…as I plead before the throne for breakthrough and refreshment.
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One of my best friends from college is having a baby boy next month. It will be her first. She is a musician, a writer, a comfort-food cook, encourager in Christ, and a loyal girlfriend. Naturally, I’m subjecting her to one of my homemade maternity gifts. The homemade part was mandatory, though she had a choice between a breastfeeding cover-up or a diaper bag. She chose the latter. As you know, a woman’s purse or handbag is not just an accessory; it heralds one’s interpretation of utility and visuality…it is a significant piece. You can imagine, therefore, what lengths I went to to secure the perfect fabrics for this special occasion. Yet, my choices may have proven to be more hassle than fashionable. I used a chocolate decorator fabric with pale blue flocked flowers. Flocking is messy. For the lining I found a silvery-blue ribbed chenille-like fabric. Translation: stretchy, slippery, […]
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Today my 18 month old, Judah said the word, “fuzz,” while reaching for his ball of yarn. Not “milk,” or “juice,” or “apple”…but “fuzz.” Here’s the story: Each of my boys have had a blankie. For the most part, a blankie has been chosen for the boy, and simply encouraged through regular use. With number three, the only blankie he’s ever considered sleeping or cuddling with has been a minty green, hand-crocheted hand-me-down. Soon after he turned a year old, Judah displayed signs of his yarn fetish, which continues still at 18 months. He gingerly picks a fuzz off his crocheted blankie and savors it in his mouth like it’s gummy snacks or goldfish crackers. As you can imagine, we have found trace evidence of this unusual fascination in his diapers, and gently discourage him from consuming large quantities of his blanket at naptime. While he continues to snuggle his […]
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My little 5 yr. old Caleb is one remarkable kid. Today he finished building a complex, steering-controlled Hummer with a Legos set rated for ages 8-12. I think he was as amazed as we were. Soon after the Hummer was completed, Caleb asked to draw a picture of his creation for his grandma in California who purchased the set for him at Christmastime. It never occurred to him that we could just take a photo…but then again, can it get any sweeter than this?
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Our family took a morning’s reprieve and enjoyed what is most relaxing for my husband—a brisk nature hike in the Sandia foothills. As with many fine moments in our family, nobody remembered to bring a camera or camcorder to document the amusing insights and impressive feats that accompanied our family-of-five journey up the mountainside. The weather was perfect for just such an outing. Where we live every juniper, cactus, and piece of granite one might find off the beaten path looks different in various times of day. Clear skies, bright sunshine, and morning dew brought out the detail and deliciousness of the desert-scape. Our middlest took notice (as he is a multi-sensory, aesthetically-sensitive child). Unlike his older brother, he’s not the fastest, or the most coordinated; but Number 2 is the most enthusiastic. Bless his heart, our little 3 yr. old is a walking affirmation junkie. Not only does he […]
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Hello, friend...I'm Ruth. Welcome to GraceLaced, where you will find my imperfect, but grace-filled musings on the Gospel, motherhood, crafting, art, domesticity, cooking, and the often-times overlooked joys of finding grace in the everyday of life. Read my full profile here.
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