Redeem the Time

The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.   --Mortimer Adler

Coffee stains, tomato splatter, and watermelon juice polka dot my kitchen floor.  Didn't I just mop two day ago?  Yes, but I have two little boys.  Mopping used to be one of my most dreaded chores, but it's become my favorite because I decided to redeem the time.  

When tired little bodies, exhausted from the days' work of rock throwing and brother wrestling and ant watching, cozy up under the covers, I learn.  I've imbibed college courses and countless sermons so that in the process of scrubbing my house, I've also been given the tools to scrub my own heart.  

I will never stop learning.  My funeral will be my commencement ceremony.  Long drives and long walks are other occasions when I redeem the time by learning something new.  If you are commuting to the latest pop tunes or only listening the roar of the vacuum cleaner when you do housework, here are some of my favorites to download to your iPod.  All of the following can be found on iTunes for free!   

Mark Moore--a professor at Ozark Christian College.  Puts his courses online to educate the church at large. http://markmoore.org   

Tim Keller--one of the brightest minds in Christian thought today. Pastor of Redeemer Presbytarian Church in New York City.  Author of Prodigal God and The Reason for God, two must reads.  Redeemer Sermon Store

Matt Chandler--pastor of The Village Church near Dallas, TX.   Village Church Resources

John Piper--pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis.  Author of countless books.  Find resources from him at desiringGod.com.

Mark Driscoll--pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  Go here to download his stuff.  

TED--TED is a non-profit organization dedicated to Ideas Worth Spreading.  TED is a conference that brings together great minds from all over the world.  TED.com

Nate Bush--pastor of New City Christian Church and my husband.  :)

Do you have any favorite speakers you listen to?  

   

   

Girls Are Yucky

Micah: I met someone at swim class who's going to kindergarten too. 


Me: Oh, yeah, are you friends?


Micah (with disdain): No way, she's a girl!


Me: That's not very kind.  Why can't you be friends with a girl?


Micah (with serious contempt): Because they smell!


Me (trying to stifle a laugh): They do? 


Micah: Yeah, they smell like girl. 


Me (so glad I'm driving so he can't see me grinning): What do girls smell like?


Micah: Like pretty stuff.

Me: Do I smell?


Micah: No, girls in your own family aren't smelly. 


Even though it was a few days ago, I can't stop chuckling over this little exchange.  I love to glimpse inside my children's logic.

While I'm hoping Micah's distaste for the opposite sex will remain intact for another fifteen years at least, I can't help but imagine the young lady that might capture his heart should it be God's plan for him to marry.

What is she doing right now?  What are her little girl dreams?  How is God preparing her right now to be my son's wife?


I know that my mother-in-law prayed for me long before she knew it was I who would walk down the aisle to her son.  And I'm sure those prayers, along with my own family praying for me, protected me from my own immaturity, sinfulness, and lack of wisdom to prepare me to stand and live and work side-by-side with Nate.


So I'm praying for you, little girls, whoever you might be.  Little girls whom my sons will cleave to when they leave me.  Little girls who will wash my sons' grown man socks.  Little girls who will rock my grandchildren to sleep.  Little girls who will interlock fingers with my sons and walk with them through the hard times.  I think I love you already.