Absence of Words

This summer, our family is studying the Book of Proverbs from God's Holy Word. We have decided to divide the study into thirteen different themes. One theme a week until school resumes. Thus far we have looked at Wisdom - an Introduction to Proverbs, Anger, and this week the theme is Words.

I have been given cause to stop and think about my words and more importantly the absence of my words as I am preparing to travel to India this November. When I heard of the great opportunity to reach out in love to the people of India, I was quite excited. I was prayerfully considering what role I might play on our team which will conduct Eyeglass Clinics, Women and Children's Outreach, and Beach Volleyball Clinics.

Anyone who knows me even remotely would realize that beach volleyball will likely NOT be my call on this trip. What would I be doing? Women and Children's Outreach seems a natural fit, a God-given role to explore the gifts He has given me. This will likely be my focus and yet the group's leader suggested that I consider a role at the Prayer Station of the Eyeglass Clinic.

You should have seen my eyes light up. A Prayer Station... a prayer warrior, this is what God has been conditioning me for over the last fourteen years. This most certainly was the fit. I became quite giddy really over the whole idea, I would get to pray for people and see God work. Then a few days later, God gave me an epiphany: "Sara, You don't speak their language, but I do!". I was crushed at first, how was I going to pray effectively for a person who could not understand my words.

Ugh, just writing it makes me sick to my stomach. How prideful I was to think that "my words", were what the people would need to hear. Then God's Holy Spirit spoke to me and said "Sara, I will intercede on your behalf, they will hear My WORDs, not your words". Wow, my then deflated spirit began to explode with great joy. I was going to have the privilege of being filled with the Holy Spirit to speak His WORDs, unfettered by my ill-equipped tongue.

I have now begun to pray for a Pentecost Experience. I am trusting in the LORD that the people will say "How is it that each of us hears her, in our own native language?" (Much liberty taken from Acts 2). It may not be an outward understanding or a direct experience of speaking their language, but I trust that God will reveal Himself through His Word given out through my unworthy mouth.

I also have been struck that my ministry will not be effective on the presence of my words, but the absence of them. I will show His love with my eyes, my hands, my feet, my presence in the country. All of this possible through Him ONLY!!!

As for our study of Words from the Book of Proverbs, we are challenging ourselves to have an absence of words throughout the week. Yesterday was our first challenge. For fifteen minutes, we did not speak a word, hear a word from TV, radio, ipod, etc... we did not type a word or read an email. We simply went about life with no words. A gesture here or there asking silently for our need to be met, perhaps the need for milk to be poured.

I wasn't sure it was possible and yet, I knew with God all things are possible even the silence of a family for a mere fifteen minutes. We did it in God's grace, and it was even at the suggestion of Carson our eight year old. He requested the silence. We all granted that request together with the help of God's Holy Spirit. Imagine what we can do for Him, when we focus on His desire for us!

The amount of words in this blog post are many, yet, I hope they portray our desire to have His Words be our words or the lack there of when necessary. Where do you need the absence of words in your life? Are you seeking the presence of His Words?

A Great American Adventure

This week our family has been travelling with my sister and her family out west to South Dakota. We are having a lot of fun. Visiting some of most awe inspiring places such as Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park. Along the way we have been keenly aware of God's mighty power and His awesome handiwork.

I enjoy traveling with family. My sister takes her family on a vacation to a different state capitol each year. We have enjoyed tagging along. I want my children to have wonderful memories of meaningful family vacations. I read recently vacations are a better way to spend your money than household items or toys, because you make memories that last a lifetime. While if you buy objects they are soon forgotten. I suppose you could say that this was written by someone trying to sell people on vacations but, I can see the validity in it.

This trip has been an education in history and in the magnificence of God's creation. We paid an interesting visit to the South Dakota Capitol of Pierre. We have also had our share of tourist attractions that were simply pure entertainment value. Like the World's Only Corn Palace and The World Famous Wall Drugs.

Lots of fun and great memories. Memories to last a lifetime. Like having a donkey poke his head through my open van window all but demanding to be fed. I gave him what I had handy which was a handful of prunes. He seemed to like it and a second younger donkey joined him in my window. Eventually we ran out and had to shoo them away. We also saw free roaming buffalo. As we were leaving the buffalo, Carson said, "I don't think I can eat buffalo wings after that". Troy and I had a good chuckle and explained that buffalo wings were chicken wings not buffalo.

On our ride out of Custer State Park, Ephraim started making strange coughing noises. I looked back and sensed that he was about to throw up. He denied it, but I managed to get a bag under him before he threw up. I think it was car sickness but Ephraim had a different idea. He said he thought he was allergic. We asked him what he was allergic to and he said "donkeys". Again a good chuckle for us.

So far this Great American Adventure has been an eventful trip and we still have more days to go. We have thanked God for His provision for our safety and the majesty of the land He created.

Eleven Years and Counting...

***Addendum, I forgot one other "number": Troy has had 5 cars in our 11 years of marriage and I have had 1. ***


Today Troy and I are celebrating eleven years of marriage. I was doing the math (hold your breath, really I was just looking back) and in our eleven years:

-We have lived in 3 houses and 1 apartment (while building our current home).
-We have had 2 sons.
-Troy has had 1 job and I have had 4 jobs.
-We have experienced 3 major deaths including my mother and paternal grandparents.
-Ephraim has had 2 open heart surgeries.
-Carson has been in 2 different elementary schools.

And the numbers keep coming! God has blessed our marriage in so many ways! Thank you to all the friends and family that have prayed for us. Keep praying!

Many of you have been there with us along the way to celebrate, to cry, to pray, to worship, to share a meal, to revel in success and to dust us off when we fall. Lest anyone think our marriage is perfect, we can admit it is not. We have our share of disagreements and arguments. Tempers have flared and angry words have been exchanged, but without fail our LORD has brought us along. Thank God we are covered by Christ's blood.

We have built our marriage on a commitment not only to one another but to THE ONE: our LORD! On the solid ROCK we stand! All other ground is sinking sand.

Is This Something From Your Class Thingy?

Troy and I have been taking a Sunday School class titled Parenting On Purpose. The class is causing us to take time to pause and evaluate our parenting styles. We know we aren't perfect parents, but we didn't consider ourselves too far off target.

This class has confirmed a lot of the things we strive for in our parenting, but it also has us really wondering where we went awry with our original plans of consistency and intentional parenting.

For example, we talked this past Sunday about encouraging independence in our children. I am the first to admit that we do seem to do a lot for our boys. In fact the saying that really had me scratching my head was "Never do for your children, what they can do for themselves".

When we stopped to look at our family, we have a lot in our favor, but this independence thing is not our strong suit. We tend to cater to Ephraim especially and to Carson as well. Anyway, we have been trying to make some adjustments as we notice places where we are doing things they could be doing or have missed opportunities for them to make choices or contribute to the family.

As we are learning we are also sharing with our boys small amounts of it (at their level and where it pertains to them). We are offering more opportunities for independence and responsibility. Tonight, after we finished our meal with Troy at the local pizzeria, I asked Carson if he wanted to go up to the counter and get a box for the leftover pizza. Carson responded with "Is this something from your class thingy?" At first I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but Troy and I quickly figured out it was our Sunday School class he was talking about. That Carson, he doesn't miss a beat. Yep, I said, "It is". He said "Maybe, Ephraim would like the opportunity".

God has a perfect plan for the family. He has set us in a family and given us two boys to train up in the way they should go. It is good that He gives us His WORD that offers direction and wisdom in this often difficult yet equally rewarding job of being a parent. He also gives us fellow believers to encourage and mentor us. For this I am thankful. We are not walking this road alone, God goes with us and upholds us. We are learning a lot in our "class thingy" and we are trusting God to help us find the balance that fits our family. More independence and opportunities to come...

From Dinner In the Crockpot to Drive Through

Tonight's blog is simply an update on the The Bishop Family. Tonight was not a Cornish Hen night. With nothing in the crock pot, I resorted to driving through the Steak-n-Shake. I've been looking forward to it since we received the coupons in the mail. Ephraim had his first milkshake and of course he liked it. Chocolate milkshake, what is not to like?

I am pleased to report that Ephraim has been wearing his big boy underwear with zero accidents in the last two days. Praise the Lord. Definitely answered prayer. He continues to be enthralled with the skeleton key and its former owner - my grandmother: Catherine Coers. I am always looking for opportunities to share my family history with the boys. I want them to know about their grandparents and great grandparents. It makes me sad to think they never knew my father and had only a short time with my mother. But, I am thankful for stories to share and for friends that are like family and for Troy's parents.

Carson has been doing much better on his spelling words. We found a great website that uses games to help him learn his words: www.spellingcity.com. We have tried all kinds of things including my version of "spelling karaoke", writing words in shaving cream, and "spelling pie" -(my Mam Mam's pie tins filled with spelling word magnets). God continues to provide the ideas and the patience.

Troy had to purchase new tires for his van today. Special "run flat" tires that cost a bundle. He has been in Greenwood most of the day getting them put on. He brought back Long's doughnuts. Yum. I am hoping that Troy will actually make some of my Uncle Sap's doughnuts again soon. They are so tasty. We used to make them every November for a fundraiser with the youth group, but haven't made them at FUMC for a couple of years now. Believe it or not, I miss that one day a year that I willingly got up at 2am when it was "time to make the doughnuts". Troy learned to make doughnuts from his Grandmother Linson. I think it is great that Troy can share his stories and the things he learned from his grandparents too. We both have a rich family history to pass along. Our greatest story though is the story of our family's faith. What a blessing to have a Christian heritage.