How many of you are memorizing as much Scripture as you know you should? What about the rest of your family? Sadly, I have had the Word of God around me most of my life, in church, classes, and personal Bible study --- but have given little brain time to memorize it. I know I'm not alone. Any time Scripture memory is  mentioned, automatically the sea of faces turns downcast. We know we should be doing it. But we aren't doing it.

Let me share my latest and greatest personal victory in this area that not only increased my personal scripture memory but that of my children as well.

Last year on New Year's Day, I presented each of my girls (that can read) an empty small spiral notebook from the dollar store. I announced to the fam that we would be responsible for writing down one verse per page to memorize. The verses could come from Sunday School, books you are reading, or out of your personal devotional time. At the end of the year, on New Year's Eve, we would recite our verses to the rest of the family in the Strange Family Verse-a-Thon!

I set out to memorize one verse per week, which I admit, is a little lame. But I had tried to meet this lousy goal for two years and failed, so 52 sounded like a huge endeavor. To plan my success, I put the notebook on the treadmill. Every time I walked I repeated those words until they were in my head. I also scheduled time during the evening for my daughters to work on their verses. And I asked them periodically how it was going. They had to show me their books and talk about their progress. I let them determine the number of verses they memorized.

On New Year's Eve -- just after the pizza -- but before the chocolate fondue extravaganza we always enjoy --- each of us took turns reciting our book of verses to the family. To my delight -- and my husband's shame --- we, together quoted 114 verses! Not bad for first-timers! To my daughters' delight -- their dad was so encouraged, he agreed to give them $1 for every verse they recited as well as a promise to do the same in 2012! And, he has joined us! 

You can do something like this youself. Believe, me, I have had a plethera of excuses, such as: I can't; it's too hard; it just doesn't stick in my brain; I have four small children; I'm in the middle of graduate school and my brain is too tired; and my most utilized excuse-- I would love to, but there is no time. 

But the Word trumps all my excuses...and yours:

These commands I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deut. 6:6-7

Think about holding your own version of the Strange Verse-a-Thon in 2012. Although getting God's word in our hearts and to the hearts of our children should be something the ordianary Christian does -- we know it's not. Live Beyond Ordinary. Memorize the Word.

Happy New Year!

If you are interested in making a lasting impact on those you live around, getting to know your neighbors is paramount. One way to do this is to simply host a neighborhood party. This year, we chose to host a late New Year's party to welcome our neighbors and the new beginnings of 2012.    

     I realize most of us have settled into the regular routine and moved past celebrating the newness of 2012, but my celebratory state is lagging behind the general population. Our house flooded while we were out of town for Thanksgiving. This created a great deal of chaos and destruction at my house. In fact, we were forced to spend most of our time upstairs. We turned Addison's room into our "family room," complete with stockings and an artificial tree until all the repairs were made on the main floor.

     When the clean up was finished, we decided to host a neighborhood New Year's party and have it the week after the holidays officially ended. Please note, THERE IS STILL TIME to host a gathering in your neighborhood or begin planning one for 2013.

Why should you?

1. We don't know each other. We are becoming more and more isolated as a culture. At our gathering, we had people introduce themselves to others they have lived around for over fifteen years. Unless you give them a reason, most people continue to live their lives in isolation, surrounded by hundreds of people.

2.  We need each other. People are relational. Most of us would appreciate having more friends. It is how God made us -- to live in community with one another. A neighborhood gathering is the perfect opportunity to begin building a relationship-based community, right where you live.

3. We are called to go --- even if it's just across the street. If you are like most people, God has planted you in the center of His design and mission for you. There are reasons for your particular street address other than school districts and price tags. So often we spend all our time inside our personal property boundaries, and never look to see what the Bigger Picture of God's plan for our location. Some may have never heard of Jesus, like our neighbor's Stacy and Alijah. Some may worship other gods or no god at all. Others may profess Christianity, yet have never seen it lived out in authentically. But we will never know if we don't go. We will never fully live out God's purpose for our address, if we remain confined within our own boundaries.

4.  We are called to serve. It's a lot of work to host a party of any size. Even if it means simply cleaning the house and making a couple of desserts, it is a hassle. But it's working! Serving my neighbors in this capacity is a small act of service with huge benefits. We had a great turn out and I have received several notes and phone calls thanking me for bringing everyone together. 

5.  We are called to be light to a darkened world. Jesus said that you and I "are the light of the world..." and we are to let our "light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify their Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:14, 16) Coming together for a simple New Year's party, celebrating the beginning of a new year, is the perfect opportunity to begin shining right where your live. 

     If you have been thinking about how you can more fully live out your faith exactly where God has placed you, maybe planning a small gathering with the people who live closest to you is just the thing for you. Why not make 2012 the year that God is able to use you more fully precisely where He's planted you...simply because you were willing to cross the street. 

     Today is the day!

       The submission of the dossier marks the end of the paper-chasing phase of our adoption. In most cases, this ends "paper pregnancy” and begins long waiting period. Generally, paperwork is submitted to the country from which you are requesting a child and it remains there until you are matched with a child / or children, depending on your request. There is nothing for you to do, except wait. However, our situation is a little topsy-turvy. We looked on a list of children that are categorized as "special needs." Although the children we chose are healthy -- there are four of them -- which make them less likely to be adopted in the regular systematic process. Not surprisingly, most families are not asking for four at a time!

       With our paperwork on its way, we now simply wait to be assigned a court date -- bypassing the long period of waiting for a referral, which can be a year or two (or longer in some countries, like China). Our agency is anticipating our court date to be soon. Once received, the travel department in our agency will make the arrangements, and Chad and I will be off to Africa for a week. I'll write more about that process as it happens.

       Thanks for keeping up with process. It is a joy-filled, while somewhat terrifying experience. We appreciate your support.

     I just said goodbye to a sweet woman who is going to help me with some things around the house. What an answer to prayer. God reminded me of how sometimes getting help is exactly His will for my life. And I, the one-woman-show, need to heed His Word.

     Even Moses needed help. When he lead the Israelites in the desert, his father-in-law, Jethro, came for a visit. After watching Moses for about 24 hours he said,

 “What you are doing is not good…the work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone,” (Ex. 20:17-18)

     Boy, can I relate! Sometimes I know I am in the middle of God’s will for my life, like Moses, but there is too much to do. Recently I read these verses; and I could hear God speak to me through His Word, much like Jethro to Moses, suggesting he get some help.

“…that will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain and all these people will go home satisfied.” (Ex. 20:22-24).

     I don’t receive help graciously. It feels like an admission of incompetence or failure. Yet, when I read these verses, I realized only after this burden of mediating disputes was passed on to other qualified leaders in the community, was Moses free to go up the mountain where the LORD called him friend, and entrusted him with the words of the Law written by God’s very hand.

     Moses responded to Jethro’s critique graciously.

Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. (Ex. 20:24)

     Could it be the reason God is nudging me to get help is so I can know Him more intimately and serve Him more effectively? I will not know unless I trust His Word and step out of my pride in obedience to get some help.

     If you are feeling burdened by the good load you are carrying smack in the center of God’s will for your life, ask the Lord, on the authority of His Word, if you need to get help. Moses couldn’t do it all. Why do we think we can—a grievance for which I am the worst offender?

     When I was convinced through prayer that He was nudging me to get help, I asked for specifics: “What areas, Lord? What kind of help would benefit your movement in and purpose for my life?” Since He’s now given some clarification, I’ve had to start acting in obedience. I have Googled my needs, called people, located resources, and messaged people on Facebook – asking for help. NOT my favorite thing. It’s probably not yours, either. 

     But I’m going to do it because I want to respond with the graciousness of Moses, and do everything God is telling me to do, even if it feels like failure. Today I chose to believe Him to use me in new and better ways for His glory which are unseen. What about you?