Writing Project: Student Life Prime

It's been a while since I've written in detail about my writing projects. Lately, I've been wrapped up in two major contracts, one of which is Prime, the new Bible Study by Student Life. I signed on to write six lessons for this study, and I'm really excited and honored to have been a part of it. I've written five of the six, and honestly, I'll be a little sad to wrap it all up, but I'm hoping to start teaching through this study with my girls in the fall.

Prime is a 48-week study divided into eight 6-week sections, and the entire study is all about living for God above anything else. The lessons talk about being holy, spiritual disciplines, stewardship, the book of James, big questions that we wrestle with, and more. If you're looking for new curriculum to start with your students in the fall, I can't recommend Prime highly enough, but, of course, being one of the writers, I'm biased. It's not available for purchase yet, but it will be ready for the new church year starting in September.

Just thought I'd give you a little more info on what's keeping me busy these days. More on my recent writing projects to come later!

Until next time, grace and peace.

Days Fly By...And Brownies are ALWAYS Good

It's been another busy week, which is surprising, considering that I haven't done much real work (the kind that I get paid for) since Monday. We've been to Corinth and Florence, and although I haven't gone grocery shopping, we've somehow managed to survive. There has been painting, felt flower making, stationery printing, baby shower planning, bowling, bathroom cleaning, babysitting, and lots of general silliness. The week has been full of this and that, and I'm ready for a weekend with my little family. Nothing exciting planned, just a couple of days off to relax and enjoy one another. I read a post on Her.meneutics today about the everyday grace of the "quotidian" stuff of life. Quotidian things, according to the article, are the commonplace, ordinary practices of everyday life. I'm certainly not a master of the balancing act required to be a stay-at-home, working-from-home mommy, but I'm trying. As I scrubbed the shower this week for the first time since December (yes, it really was that bad), I realized that sometimes it's in the drudgery that character is formed. I mean, who really wants to clean a shower? Or wash the dishes? Or change poopy diapers? Or cook supper...again? But the things that we do day in and day out whether we want to or not are the things that help us maintain an orderly and worshipful life. You really should go read more about it on Her.meneutics.

It's been a quotidian week. In parting, I thought I'd leave you with a snapshot from the quotidian life we live. It's sure to make you smile. Brownie batter anyone??

As Micah would say, yum, yum!

Until next time, grace and peace.

Mercy for Japan

(photo credit Recorded Pictures)

Did you ever play the game of Mercy when you were a kid? You know the one - where someone pinches you or twists your skin or pummels you until you writhe in pain and cry for mercy. That's how it feels these days. Every time I turn on the news and hear of another earthquake or another tragedy, I cry out for mercy.

There are times in life when I just don't know what to say. This is one of those times. I've largely avoided the news from Japan, because, honestly, I just don't want to know. The devastation...the pain...the suffering...the heartbreak...they're all too much for me to handle.

It's almost as if I believe that if I pretend it's not there, then it didn't really happen. That people on the other side of the world aren't reeling from the aftershocks of a cataclysmic disaster. That the earth's axis hasn't shifted and that life as usual is going on. But, of course, it's not. Life as usual has ceased to exist for more people than I can imagine, and it will never be the same again.

Mercy, Lord, Mercy.

Until next time, grace and peace.