martha, martha

This post has been bouncing around my brain for a while now, and yet it never seemed the right time to publish it. I guess it was never God's time until yesterday. Because yesterday was when He made it real for me.

I've been thinking of the story in Luke 10:38-42 where two sisters, Mary and Martha, are contrasted. You may be familiar with the story but, if not, here's the lowdown:

Jesus came to town. Martha invited Him to the home of her family. Mary sat and listened to Jesus talk while Martha worked feverishly to get everything "just right." Martha got ticked and questioned Jesus, "Don't you care that Mary is sitting on her duff while I do all the work? Tell her to help me!" (my paraphrase)

Jesus responds, "Martha, Martha..."

sidenote: I once heard a message that was focused on this initial part of Jesus' reply. The speaker noted that Jesus said Martha's name...twice. If He had just said "Martha", we might convey that He was angry (MAR-THA!!!!) or frustrated (Marthaaaaaa...). But He said her name twice, and when we are angry or frustrated we don't usually do that. Try it. Just yell "Martha, Martha" in a really angry tone. Doesn't quite sound right, does it? Nope, even as Martha questions and commands Him, Jesus responds in tenderness.

Anyway, the Bible says that Martha was "distracted with much serving." Distracted...suggests she had turned away from her original focus of attention. Much serving...suggests she was going over-the-top, busy with unnecessary details.

Jesus continues His response to her, "...But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

This year I have been doing less holiday shopping/stuff and have been trying to choose the "good part"...to spend more time in God's Word. So, while this passage has been stuck in my brain for the past weeks, I didn't think it was really applying to me during this holiday season. (You can laugh now.)

Yesterday morning after breakfast I decided to bring out the playdoh in hopes that M would entertain himself while I did some other tasks, but something stopped me from taking my busywork to the table.


Martha, Martha.


UGH! But I have stuff to do! And the baby never takes long enough naps! And...


Martha, Martha.


I found myself reaching into the drawer for the playdoh "big guns"...the utensils I get out only when I play with M. As M and I sat at our table enjoying the squishy dough, soft music and falling snow (lasted a few minutes and never stuck), I was reminded that Jesus was there with us. He was there. So I talked to M about Jesus...His Presence with us, His love for us.

Suddenly M put down his playdoh and reached over for my hand. With a big smile on his face he gazed at me...then pointed to Scott's chair...and then turned his sweet face back to mine. His countenance was one of joy.

As I was enjoying time with my baby, I was sitting at my Savior's feet. It was the good part. THE GOOD PART. And it dripped with His tenderness.

You know, if the story of Jesus' tenderness toward distracted, demanding Martha stopped there, it would be enough. But if you read John 11 you will find another gem. You see, Martha's sister Mary was the one who seemed to really "get it." In humble adoration, Mary sat at Jesus' feet. Nothing else mattered. She was the one who would later anoint the feet of Jesus with very expensive oil and then wipe them dry with her hair. (Note to self: grow hair out!) Mary was, Biblically speaking, "da bomb."

Yet John 11:5 states, "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister..."

Just WHOM is mentioned by name? Yes, good ol' Martha, Martha. Not that it is a competition. God has enough love to go 'round. But I find this very comforting...that the God of the universe chose to speak of His love for and mention by name the sister Martha. A woman who was too busy to sit with Jesus but then questioned His care for her. One who lost focus of the Good Part, Christ Himself.


I love, love, love my times alone reading God's Word, but often as soon as my Bible snaps shut, I become distracted. Yes, I know He is with me all the time, but I don't live like He is with me all the time. I am like Martha who invited Him into her home but then was too busy to enjoy Him...to hear Him...to be with Him. I allow my focus to be diverted too easily...and too often on things that really don't matter (except in my little mind!). This doesn't mean I stop doing housework and sit in the middle of my living room floor all day (although on days that would be nice!), but instead to be more mindful of His Presence with me...even in the mundane and in the busywork.

What about you? Are you more like Mary or Martha? Do you find it easy to sit at His feet even in the midst of a busy day? Or do you lose focus and become distracted with much serving? Feel free to share!!!


another sidenote: At lunch I was reading to M about King Saul and how he became prideful and no longer loved God. M started making funny squeals, and I looked up to see him pointing at himself. I asked, "What?...Do you love God?" He nodded with exaggeration and then picked up another cracker to stuff in his mouth. Rationally I question a toddler understanding any of this, but with M you just never know.

Christmas Songs

The wonderful Fernando Ortega has a new CD entitled Christmas Songs. I watched his video about the making of the CD, and his hope for the music was to draw people back to the the lyrics of some oh-so-familiar tunes...to highlight the words proclaiming and celebrating the birth of our Savior and Lord. To listen to a few songs, go HERE. There is a also a button (as shown below) to download a song for free.

laughter!

not sure what i said to get this reaction, but it was a good one!

Hope your day is filled with laughter!

RE-DO!

I Wednesday I had the privilege of photographing the ADORABLE M kids. We were outside on a warm, sunny day...the conditions were perfect...the kids couldn't be cuter...I had reviewed my teacher's lesson on photographing outside in the light...and I STILL FLUBBED UP. If I had taken the photos a few months ago, I would have been very happy with them. But now...I notice the shadows on the faces, the overexposed backgrounds from shooting toward a lighter background, the lack of good composition, and on and on.

And I just want to scream, "RE-DO! I want a RE-DO!"

But here are a few of the shots anyway because the kids' precious faces are going to make you smile!!!

edited2add: I must have been in a state of chocolate sedation when I wrote this because I meant to say "Do-over! I want a do-over!" Not a RE-DO!!!! Re-Do??????? What was I thinking?????

the polls are closed!

Thanks for voting in my very important polls!

I have to say that I got a little queasy when I saw that SIXTY-TWO percent of responders keep their opened, refrigerated items until the expiration date! I am so freaked out by rotten food that I throw things away like 2 weeks after opening them! One week for cottage cheese! Scott, on the other hand, would keep items waaaaaay past the expiration date if he could.

The shower question was brought up by my cousin, and I figured this would be a great place to test her hypothesis! She was right! More than half of the voters said that the male in their marriage faces the showerhead while the female faces away! Isn't that interesting???? Or am I the only one intrigued by random information like that?

BTW, for all of you who said that BAKED CHEETOS were as good or better than the regular kind, I have one question. ARE YOU DRUNK????? It is like comparing a year-old Halloween Baby Ruth to the Great Wall of Chocolate from PF CHANGS! No comparison.

Since we had such a great turn-out at the polls, I have another question....coming soon!

Tish's Top Model

My friend and personal artist (grin), Kim, agreed to give up her Saturday painting time to let me practice photography on her. She was game for anything I suggested, she held still (unlike M) and actually smiled (unlike Scott), so she has stolen the spot as my favorite model!

This is my very favorite shot of the day because I think she looks so beautiful and this photo is straight out of the camera...so no retouching! She is just that gorgeous!



For my online class we are practicing post processing in Lightroom, a great but intimidating tool, so I gave some of the other shots some heavy Lightroom lovin'. Thankfully, since Kim is an artist, she's not scared of a little SHA-ZAAAM!


















This is from M's Jesus Storybook Bible, a paraphrase of John 1:12-13:

For anyone who says yes to Jesus
For anyone who believes what Jesus said
For anyone who will just reach out to take it
Then God will give them this wonderful gift:

To be born into a whole new Life
To be who they really are
Who God always made them to be -
Their own true selves -
God's dear Child.

And this is from me: Today, if I could just reach through my computer screen, take your precious face in my hands, I would look into your eyes and tell you, "God is crazy in love with you...let Him love you."

M at 22 months!

M turned 22 months on Thanksgiving, so I wanted to post a "keepsake" update about him.
- He has suddenly become more affectionate and playful...more free with the kisses!
- He continues to do really well with his letters, numbers, colors, shapes, opposites, superlatives, following directions, etc.
- His favorite friend is Elmo.
- His favorite activity is helping daddy make hot tea.
- He has become more talkative and, although he doesn't say a ton of words, he does put them together well, such as "help dad hot tea." When he wants to tell you something and knows he can't (this usually involves food), he looks at you like he is hoping that he can speak through his eyes!
- He eats. A LOT. For ex, the other morning it was two Eggo waffles and a whole banana. He often asks for more even when I give him a full plate the first time.
- He has started attending Little Gym and loves it! When he finishes an activity with his teacher, he does a little happy dance.
- Sleep. Still not great.
- Skin. The dry weather has brought out the worst of his eczema...so I am trying a new product that I found at the pharmacy.
- Teeth. Has some in front and some in back...just waiting for those in-betweeners.
- He is doing fairly well at taking off his own shirt...needs help to get going.
- He just finished his first week with a Helping Chart (read "chores")...and he did a great job! His payment was 25 cents and a sucker. I paid in 2 dimes and a nickel so we could start teaching about tithing.
- He does little things that surprise me as a 1st time mama. For ex, he wanted something so I said I would get it when I was finished picking up the folded laundry. Rather than just waiting for me to finish or standing there whining, he actually helped me (on his own initiative) to put the clothes in the basket.

I was pretty amazed when he could "read" words like Bob and Wow, but the other day I tried spelling some words for him verbally, and he was able to say the word. So I tried to recreate on video:


Because many of M's photos show his more serious side, I thought I'd share his goofy side: