The Meditation of My Heart

Friday, February 3, 2012

Science Fair 2012

Last night we went to the girls' school for the science fair awards and to see Mr. Byrd's Science Show. He is SO fun... especially if you're a nerd like me. Check him out at mrbyrdscience.com. He was also on the Dave Ramsey show (this video is for you, Josh Brown):

"Which Brand of (Bubble)Gum's Flavor Lasts the Longest?" Chloe won 2nd prize!

"How Greasy Are The Snacks Foods You Eat?"

Katie and Sophie

"Can We Taste the Difference?" (Between regular and caffeine free soda)

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Thoughts On Poverty

There is a famous quote from Mother Teresa that goes like this,

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."

She was referring to abortion, and although I completely agree with her, lately I have wondered: Isn't it just as tragic for a child to die in poverty so that I may live as I wish?

"Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes. That's one child every five seconds." (http://www.bread.org/hunger/global/)

"2.2 million people in developing countries, most of them children, die every year from diseases associated with lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene."(http://blueplanetnetwork.org/water/facts)

Those statistics are staggering! Surely those people are some of "the least of these" that Christ was talking about. (Matthew 25:31-46)

I know that my life is "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." (James 4:14) I realize that this world is not my home, and I am merely passing through. So I want what I do here to have an eternal impact. I'm not saying that I think we should stop eating out altogether or stop taking vacations (maybe for some people it does mean that), but maybe we could do something crazy and radical (sarcasm) like not eating out as often, even if that means grabbing a pb&j before basketball practice. There must be some frivolities... some "as you wish" kind of things that we can do without. That way instead of only sponsoring one child, maybe we could sponsor two. I don't know yet. What I do know is that God is stirring up something in my heart.

Just some thoughts on poverty.

Compassion International

World Vision

Samaritan's Purse

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tuesdays of Praise

I am currently working through Beth Moore's Breaking Free study. (I realize that some people are not fans of Beth Moore, and if you are one of those people, please try to set that aside when reading this.) The key verse from one of last week's lessons was Isaiah 48:18 "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea." She went on to say, "A river is a moving stream of water. God's Word doesn't say we'll have peace like a pond... When God used the analogy of a river, He described a peace that can be retained while life twists, turns, and rolls over boulders." Amen and thank you, Lord! Because who on Earth has a life without twists and turns and boulders? No one! Praise Jesus that He walks through life with us, giving us peace even in the midst of fiery trials and unpleasant circumstances. The Bible also tells us in Phillipians 4:6,7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." To have peace during the white water rapid experiences in life goes beyond the limits of our human understanding!

Working through the lesson this week I thought of an old hymn that I learned as a child (a friend even mentioned it during Bible study last night). It Is Well with My Soul by Horatio G. Spafford:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.