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February 3 in 30: A Bust

February 19, 2012 by Carey Jane Clark

Well, this month couldn’t be much worse for my goals. We’ve been running like crazy all over creation for dentist appointments, doctor’s appointments and other such last-minute priorities, and yesterday we packed in a frenzy and took JavaMan to the airport, which was a bit of a saga in itself, but nevertheless, he is off, and has officially completed the first portion of his trip. He’s in the Hong Kong airport as I type this, sipping coffee. His flight departed at 1:30 a.m. (so we all arrived home at 2:00 a.m.). He’ll spend the entire day hanging around the airport and will be boarding another flight into our city around suppertime there–or around the time we’ll be waking up.

All the hustle and bustle and last-minute activity means I just haven’t done much about my goals at all. JavaMan and I were up late almost every night this week, meaning I didn’t get up and get my day off to the start I wanted. Ever.

This has resulted in me feeling very stretched. However, in the midst of it all, I regrouped a little and decided to force myself to slow down and try to actually enjoy homeschool. (I’ll be blogging a little about that later this week.) I also sat down and used the CM Planner (something I can’t possibly misplace or pack in the wrong box or have trouble shoving into a suitcase) to finish planning the next few weeks of homeschool.

Originally, I planned only until December, since we thought we’d be heading back to China before then, and we’ve been taking things more or less one day at a time ever since, in something of a holding pattern. But I decided I had to know what I could pack and what I couldn’t, so I plotted the whole thing out–mostly with a concern for history, since that involves the most books for us–coordinating the following resources:

Our “spine,” The Story of the World
Courage and Conquest for additional focus on Canadian history
Picture books and historical fiction to accompany our lessons and bring history alive. (For example, right now we’ve just finished studying about William Penn’s Holy Experiment, and we’re concurrently reading The Witch of Blackbird Pond.)

The plan is still pretty optimistic in terms of what we might actually accomplish in the time that’s left, but I think it’s nevertheless doable. We walked to the library today to pick up some of the books we need for this week’s study.

All of that to say, that while I’ve stunk at performing on my goals this month, the month hasn’t been without its successes. I’m trying to think of it this way: now I don’t have to think too hard about what to focus on next month. I can just carry forward all my unmet goals! (Oh dear.)

My goals this month were:

Getting to bed on time. Fail.
Get up an hour earlier than everyone else. I’ve been getting up about a half hour to an hour earlier, but I haven’t been disciplined about my mornings at all. I have a little unwritten rule for this time: I do not allow myself to check email, social media or do anything else during this time. Okay, once again: Fail. Completely undisciplined.
Get back to consistent exercise. Do I have to say it? Fail. I’m not sure exactly what my problem is here. I think I’m bored with the exercise routine I was doing. I really wanted to try Turbo Jam, but the first time I did, I coincidentally started fighting a cold at the same time, and was achy and miserable. Now I can’t bring myself to exercise. I’m going to blame it all on the February blahs. That sounds reasonable doesn’t it? And the busyness? Sounds like I have the makings of a very good excuse here…

I have [sct date=”3/13/2012 21:22″ align=”none” size=”1″] until I see JavaMan again and jetlag has a chance to mess with things. I would like to be more fit and disciplined by then, so that the changes in time zone and routine don’t have a completely devastating effect.

So….if I can pull myself together for this last week and a half of February (doesn’t this seem like the longest month ever?) I’m going to attempt to get my act together and do these three simple things.

Starting with getting to bed on time. It’s 9:39 now. Time to call it a night.

Beyond Molasses Creek: A Review

February 17, 2012 by Carey Jane Clark

{Don’t forget to enter the Valentine’s week Passion and Prayer Giveaway!}

Beyond Molasses Creek takes place in the South Carolina Lowcountry. It’s the story of Ally, 60 years old and still trying to find herself; Sunila, a young Dalit woman in Nepal who’s just been handed the secret that will unlock her destiny; and Vesey, Ally’s neighbour, the love of her life, its one constant, and forbidden fruit all wrapped into one.

I love good writing. And this was good writing. I really sank into the story and enjoyed it from the first page. Seitz’ use of language is beautiful. Not elaborate or flowery, just beautiful and poignant: “Then something like courage rolled onto his broad shoulders.”

The story begins when Ally returns to the Lowcountry to bury her father. It is the first time she has been in one place that long for years and years, and she’s only doing so now out of obligation to her father, and perhaps out of a curiosity about whether love can still bloom between her and Vesey.

Instead, she discovers truth–about herself, about Vesey, and about a woman living thousands of miles away she doesn’t even know is alive.

The story was written from the first-person present tense point of view for two of the characters. I have to confess that at first I found this jarring. I’ve read a couple of stories in which the use of present tense eventually signaled the untimely demise of the point of view character. But once I settled in and satisfied myself that nothing mortally awful was going to happen to Ally or Sunila, that became less distracting. By the final chapter, if I hadn’t checked for the purposes of writing this review, I couldn’t have said whether the writing was still in present tense or not.

Ally’s life is layered with complexity. There is no moment when she abandons her old ways and embraces an obvious Christian faith. Rather, she is on a spiritual journey. She has tried running away from her pain or filling her life with pleasure to dull it. She has pursued spiritual fulfillment–her lawn is littered with the statues of gods and goddesses to prove it. But as the story progresses, we see how as much as she has run from a life like Vesey’s–rooted in one place with one woman and a hope in God–the kind of life that satisfies in the end. It is Vesey, not Ally, who is self-aware, content and confident.

I am happy to have discovered Nicole Seitz’ writing for myself. I can’t wait to read one of her other books.

Note: I received Beyond Molasses Creek as a free ebook in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation has been given me.

- Carey Clark

7 Prayers to Pray for Your Spouse

February 14, 2012 by Ashley Pichea

Happy Valentine’s Day! To celebrate, I have a guest on my blog. Ashley Pichea, of L.I.F.E. by Ashley Pichea is visiting to write about a subject very close to her heart.

In January, she hosted a challenge: 31 Days to Pray for Your Spouse. So as Valentine’s Day drew near, I asked if she would share her heart here at enCouragement. And that’s not all! In celebration of Love Day, there’s a very special giveaway. More details after Ashley’s post:

One of the greatest gifts you can give your spouse this Valentine’s Day is a commitment to pray for him. Nothing says “I love you” more than a promise {and follow-through} to take his every need to the throne of grace each day!

My eBook, 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse, walks readers through 31 different areas in which our spouses need prayer. {This set of prayers is in no way exhaustive.} As we meditate on and lift up our spouses in these areas, we begin to experience the power of God in prayer.

Today, I’d like to share just a few prayers that you can pray for your spouse this week.

7 Prayers to Pray for Your Spouse

1. Strength – Philippians 4.13

I pray that my spouse would rise up on wings, like the eagles, as he waits upon You. I pray that You would give him supernatural strength to defend against the attacks of the devil and to live in this fallen and sinful world. Strengthen his spirit with Your Word, through Your people.

2. Spiritual Growth – Philippians 3.14

Father, I pray that my spouse would not coast through his spiritual life on “cruise control,” but that he would continually and intentionally put himself in a place of grace – a place where he can learn and grow and mature. I pray that You would continue to grow him daily, bringing him to Christ-likeness.

3. Mind – Philippians 4.8

I pray, Lord, that my spouse would have control over his mind. I pray that he would submit his thought life to Your will. Purify his thoughts, make them honoring to Your name. Help him to dwell on good and not evil, for whatever he thinks on, so shall he be.

4. Courage – Joshua 1.9

Because we know that You are sovereign, we can have courage in the face of the unknown. Thank You, Lord. I pray that my spouse would be a man of courage – that he wouldn’t be thrown by life’s waves and curveballs, but that he would face life head-on, trusting that You are in control of all. I pray that he would hold fast to his faith in You.

5. Joy – Habakkuk 3.18

I pray that You would be the Source of my spouse’s joy. I pray that he would not only find his joy in You, but that he would share his joy with others. May his joy run so deeply that it overflows into every part of his life, drawing others to him and to You.

6. Love for God – Luke 10.27

Lord, I pray that my spouse would be overwhelmed by Your love for him and that he would respond in love for You. I pray that love for You would overflow out of his soul and into his everyday life. May his actions be a result of the love he has for You. May he long to spend time in Your presence, growing his relationship with You deeper each day.

7. Faithfulness – Proverbs 3.3

Father, I pray that my spouse would be faithful – that he would be known for his faithfulness. I pray that he would be faithful in his relationships – with You, with me, and with our family and friends. I pray that he would be faithful to his word – that his “yes” would be “yes.” I pray that he would be faithful to his commitments – that he would stick with each task until it is complete.

Will you commit to praying for your spouse each day this week?

If you’re looking for more prayer ideas, be sure to download my eBook, 31 Days to Build a Better Spouse!!

Ashley Pichea invites her blog readers to join her in “doing LIFE together – living intentionally by faith everyday” at LIFE by Ashley Pichea where she shares faith, family, and the adventures of homeschooling. Ashley invites you to connect with her on Twitter {@apichea} and Facebook {fb.com/ashleypichea}.

And now for the GIVEAWAY details. You can win the following giveaway package:

The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
Praying Through the Deeper Issues of Marriage by Stormie Omartian
The Spark by Jay and Laura Laffoon
The Power of Praying through the Bible by Stormie Omartian

You may enter the giveaway by completing the tasks below. The only one that’s mandatory is the first one, but you earn extra entries for each additional task, increasing your chances of winning. You can share on Twitter and Facebook each day of the giveaway for an additional entry. The giveaway closes at midnight EST February 20, 2012, and the winner will be announced one week from today. Happy Valentine’s Day!

All the Details

February 13, 2012 by Carey Jane Clark

{Don’t miss this review of After the Snow Falls at Isn’t that the Craziest Thing.}

This week, we’re still plugging through a lot of the details of our move. My thanksgiving list still looks a little like a completed checklist, but I’m starting to get excited and homescick for getting back “home.” On the other hand, I’m feeling a little tearing away for what we leave behind here–but more for the sake of my kids, who are feeling the imminence of the move.

When there are so many details to be mindful of, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but it has been proven to us over and over again that not only is “God in the details” as they say, but that He cares about them too.

Just this week, I had an experience with that. I have been wanting an iPod Touch for some time. I have put off purchasing it, balancing it between a want and a need, but I wanted a camera I could keep on hand for quick shots when we’re out and about in China–but something I could tuck in my purse. We also plan a weekly video blog, and a techie friend recommended the iPod touch as the best tool for what I wanted to do–especially now that I have a Mac! In addition, I use an iPod for language learning and podcasts.

I could almost justify spending $199 on an 8GB, but really felt more comfortable with the memory on a 32GB. Yesterday, I was able to get an amazing deal on a 32GB, which basically gave me the extra memory for the same price as an 8GB. I don’t have it in my hands yet, but it is a tremendous blessing to get it at that price! So my first item of thanksgiving is:

80. A bargain on something I needed/wanted for our return to China.
81. In spite of all the busy-ness, we had a good homeschool week last week. Despite the change in location, and a bit of a lack of organization, we’re keeping up!
82. We have several of our appointments out of the way (doctor, medical reports, etc.) and our passports–all except one.
83. We had some family time on Saturday: we went swimming!
84. While swimming, Sweetpea passed her “swim alone” test–a real milestone for her. How wonderful to leave on a note of victory!
85. Sprout has suddenly found confidence in her swimming–she is jumping into the deep end (albeit with a lifejacket), swimming underwater (without one), bobbing like a maniac, and even started what looks a lot like a front crawl.
86. Had a chance for a real heart-to-heart with Pumpkin last week, who was feeling the pain of our move. It didn’t make everything perfect again, but it got him back on track emotionally.
87. We had an unexpected financial blessing last week–all these little blessings are wonderfully timed, since there’s a lot of last-minute resources we have to gather together before we leave (a year’s worth of vitamins, just as an example, and all the spices I want to take with me, because they are much harder to come by there).
88. I was feeling a bit spiritually out of sorts, and I got back on track this week.
89. I’m thankful for the resilience of children.
90. I’m thankful for the ability of my children to make me see what’s truly important in life.
91. I’m thankful for homeschool. Can you imagine living our life without it?
92. I’m thankful for my parents and their home. This is not Plan A, but it is good to have a Plan B.
93. I read the blog of a military wife this week. I really just stumbled on it. They are in the midst of an international move themselves and she remarked how they had found their home, a new church and a number of other key ingredients all in the space of four days. I was very encouraged by this.
94. In the meantime, we’ve been receiving updates from a real estate agent and the Chinese office manager at the office Brian will be working at, and things are looking very hopeful on the apartment front.
95. Have been really encouraged by friends lately: their friendship and their prayers.
96. I had a chance to encourage someone yesterday. As I did so, I was so grateful for just this very exercise. Counting one’s blessings certainly brings about a different perspective on life.
97. While I haven’t been able to write much of substance lately on either of the projects I’m working on, things at the planning stage (character development, etc.) have been progressing in the background, and I’m really grateful for 750words.com. It’s been very useful for helping me brain dump, helping me become more fluid in my writing, and helping me feel like I’m getting somewhere in my writing development in a season when it’s difficult to see big leaps of progress.
98. I got a little window into the workings of a situation that had baffled me. It’s good to know that even when you don’t understand what’s going on, God is in the details.
99. Laughter–in the face of every circumstance in life, it’s such a gift.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s post: a special Valentine’s guest post and GIVEAWAY!

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