Wilberforce Weekly Article

I wrote a short article for our weekly newsletter here at The Wilberforce School. Just a quick summation of what my job place has seen over the past semester, especially from my point of view:

Forward-Looking Tradition
By Laine Smithheisler, The Office Lady

Here we are, yet again in the midst of another holiday season. Thanksgiving has closed the month of November, Christmas will begin December’s roundup, and Wilberforce is abuzz with busyness as well as celebration.

Each year around this time I am inevitably asked about my family’s holiday traditions, and I am consistently at a loss for something to say that seems special. Other than eating cooked birds, watching men tackle and foul each other, and opening gifts of socks and chocolate, I must confess that the only sound tradition my family observes is watching Clark Griswold and his highly dysfunctional relatives in Christmas Vacation. While I hope to make more significant traditions in the future, I know that I have already been enlightened and encouraged by those events and traditions that TWS hosts and fosters.

From the school picnic and Back-to-School Night to our Benefit Dinner and Grandfriends’ Day, and now leading up to Lessons and Carols, it is apparent that this school loves to make and keep tradition. Not just any tradition. Christian tradition. The philosophy and theology that founds all of these events cultivates an awareness of Christ and mission amongst the students and staff alike. In Treasuring God in Our Traditions Noel Piper says it well when she defines Christian tradition as “laying up God’s words in our own hearts and passing his words to the next generation.” In various capacities and with assorted skills, Karen, Howe, Alison, Frances, Hillary, Hyme, Grace, Charlotte, Lesley, Leo, Audrey, Gemma, Ester, and Aimée are working hard to pass on their love and knowledge of God to your children. Moreover, your nurturing of this blessed hope at home exponentially affects these lessons in academics, society, and, ultimately, faith.

In my unique position as liaison to faculty, parents, and students, I am given joy beyond description when I see Christian tradition from your homes mingle with that which we hold dear at TWS. In addition to the traditions you have seen here, please continue with whatever traditions you are newly building and whatever traditions you have established over time that develop Christ-likeness in your family. Rest assured, God is working here for something greater.

And, some quotes that I had to choose for another section of the Weekly:

Slowly the truth is loading
I’m weighted down with love
Snow lying deep and even
–David Gray

God is the inventor of tradition, just as he is the inventor and giver of every other good gift.
–Noel Piper

Think of the numbers upon whom God has bestowed His grace already. Think of the countless hosts in Heaven.
–C.H. Spurgeon

Rain Down on Me

What do you do when some days are harder than others? Search for answers? Fix it yourself? Find someone or something else to fix you and your life for you? Write lame blogger posts? I’m prone to all of the above.

Life is just hard. Let’s not lie. And on days when that is more apparent than usual, I wish I could say that I just pull up my bootstraps and move on. I don’t. It takes a while to recover, but full recovery never seems to come. I’m not perfect, and my life here is not going to ever be perfect. I’m okay with that because I have to be. So, I’m just going to do what usually helps: sitting in the knowledge of all this and letting God rain (and, reign) down on me; then, forgetting myself for some sweet moments; and, finally, pulling myself up by letting him pull me up, whether or not I ask for it. The beauty of how that all works.

I can’t or won’t stop replaying Team Strike Force’s (a retired Mars Hill/Seattle band) “Rain” on iTunes tonight. (I’m not sure who wrote it, but since I can’t really find the lyrics online, I’m going to assume one or more of the band members did.)

Anyway, here it is:

When I wait, you’re there.
When I run, you run for me.
When I call, you listen.

Just to believe that you want me
Makes me think that I’m bound to know you.

Rain down on me.
Give me the eyes to see.
Rain down on me,
And I will believe.

Make my life a prayer to you.
Lord, to do what you want me to.
Rain your Spirit down on me.

(All repeats.)

Recipe: Hunky-Dory Cookies

These cookies are just a hit. I have made them several times–always slightly different, depending on the ingredients I have on hand. They came about one weekend when I had to make dessert in mass quantity for some church friends, a couple of whom have allergies. Easy and cheap to make. No dairy. No nuts. Check. (Just be careful, kids, to scrutinize your flaxseed and chocolate labels, as well as everything else on the list.) So, with a vegan oatmeal cookie recipe as a template and chocolate and dried cranberries floating around, the Hunky-Dory Cookies concoction was created. Enjoy:

1/2 C shortening (dairy-free works well; butter, not so much)
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C applesauce
1/3 C molasses (or buckwheat honey–consistency and color will change with what you choose here)

2 C unbleached, all-purpose flour (can mix wheat and white)
1 t baking soda
1/2 t granulated sea salt
1 t nutmeg

2 C old-fashioned oats (or 1 to 1/5 C oats and 1/3 C ground flaxseed)
1/3 C craisins
2/3 C chocolate chunks (dark)

1. Combine shortening, sugar, applesauce, and molasses until smooth (works best with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, but I don’t have one and use a small whisk and lots of arm strength!).
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg with a wire whisk. Add to shortening mixture, and beat well.
3. Preheat oven to 400 F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Stir in oats (or oats and flax), craisins, and chocolate chunks with a rubber spatula. Scoop batter by spoonfuls (rounded) onto the baking sheet.
5. Bake 7-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, let cool until transferable to a wire racks, and cool completely.
6. Eat any time of day or night. Don’t forget to share–this is the most important part of any baking.

Important Things to Ponder

Poemsicle

If you add sicle to your pop
Would he become a Popsicle?
Would a mop become a mopsicle?
Would a cop become a copsicle?
Would a drop become a dropsicle?
Would a hop become a hopsicle?
I guess it’s time to stopsicle,
Or is it timesicle to stopsicle?
Heysicle, I can’t stopsicle.
Ohsicle mysicle willsicle Isicle
Havesicle tosicle talksicle
Likesicle thissicle foreversicle–
Huhsicle?

–Shel Silverstein

Other People’s Words: Or, How to Be Lazy but Sound Smart

A quick glance at my posts over the last few months shows a lot of writing that has nothing to do with me. Well, it’s what I’m reading or piqued by, but am too lazy or at a loss for words to elaborate upon. (Words, how you evade me so often!) Perhaps I should repair this trend, but what can I say, I love sharing excerpts!

The following is actually a poem that I wanted to give to an eight-year-old friend for her birthday. (Um, yes, I do have friends with single-digit ages. Deal.) She is ridiculously smart and perceptive, and even though I know this is way over her head, I wanted to give her something deeper and something to grow with and return to as she gets older. To mature with writing and revisit it and learn its depths anew is a great joy, yes?

…Then, I thought better of it, as my reality sensors finally kicked in to what eight-year-olds want and need, even the most insightful ones….Still, I enjoy this work.

Enjoying deep friendship and human connection–the thankfulness that comes from realizing past relationships from the present–and especially the effect of those who have similar callings and beliefs. But, knowing these all are gifts and from and reflections of God, who knows you and me deeper than anyone else, more than we know ourselves; who gives us that thankfulness in the first place; who bestows a future hope; who, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, lends profundity to our understanding of relationship and, ultimately, grants us loss of ourselves through it. (At least, that’s what I get out of it.)

Rant, rant, rant, I know. Here you go:

I thank all who have loved me in their hearts…
from Sonnets from the Portuguese
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

I thank all who have loved me in their hearts,
With thanks and love from mine. Deep thanks to all
Who paused a little near the prison-wall
To hear my music in its louder parts
Ere they went onward, each one to the mart’s
Or temple’s occupation, beyond call.
But thou, who, in my voice’s sink and fall
When the sob took it, thy divinest Art’s
Own instrument didst drop down at thy foot
To hearken what I said between my tears, . . .
Instruct me how to thank thee! Oh, to shoot
My soul’s full meaning into future years,
That they should lend it utterance, and salute
Love that endures, from Life that disappears!

Relationship in Action

JWhoa

Diggin’ It, Old School

I got to type up a copy of the upcoming hymn of the month at my workplace, The Wilberforce School. Lots of paper comes across my desk each day, I work on a variety of tasks constantly, questions are thrown left and right, and people move in and out of my office like a circus. Sometimes, though, there’s this calm in the midst of the storm, if you will, that pulls me back to my thoughts and my daily reason for living. Often, I am captured by a song that pops into my head, inspired by a word or actions from the aforementioned circus. Yesterday, though, I was caught by this:

Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,
To His feet your tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who, like me, His praise should sing?
Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him,
Praise Him, praise the everlasting King.

Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress;
Praise Him, still the same forever,
Slow to chide and swift to bless;
Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him,
Praise Him, glorious in His faithfulness.

Fatherlike, He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows;
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes;
Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him,
Praise Him, widely as His mercy goes.

Angels, help us to adore Him;
You behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space,
Praise Him, praise Him, praise Him,
Praise Him, praise with us the God of grace.

Henry F. Lyte, 1793-1847

What Have I Been Up To?

Yep, I’ve been living here in the Big Jerz for almost eight months now.

This is why I moved.

This, too.

This used to pay my bills and brought some great friends.

This pays my bills now.

This is what I’m really excited about now.

This is really why I stayed.

Just kidding.

This is why I stayed.

Yeah, I Really Like This Book…

“If you want your children to have a reason to sing on Sunday, give them a glorious God. If you want your children to have a reason not to sin on Monday, give them a glorious God. If you want them to think of nobler things than the latest, mind-numbing video fantasy game, give them a glorious God. If you want them to dream grander dreams than illicit sex or more money or more stuff, give them a glorious God. If you want them to have a reason for confidence when life seems to spin out of control, give them a glorious God.

When friends are offering the pleasure of sin for a season, they need a glorious God. Godly fear–that sense of awe and reverence that inspires true worship–requires a glorious God. God is the one before whom they should tremble and worship with reverence and awe. The glory of God will stoke the fires of true worship and godly living.

Where will the human hunger be satisfied? Rest in God alone. Isn’t it amazing that Christ sacrificed himself for you and me? Lasting happiness is found in making much of God for eternity. There is a transcendent satisfaction in God which trials and difficulties cannot diminish and which success and pleasures cannot enhance.”

–Tedd and Margy Tripp, Instructing a Child’s Heart

Could You Say It Better?

“God has designed the world to be a place where his glory is revealed. He has made a world with stones and buildings and sand and roads and paths and rivers and seas and boats and clouds and rain and storms and snow and lightning and mountains and deserts and valleys and bears and cubs and snakes and cattle and sheep and trees and grass and flowers and food and water and sleep and sleeplessness and sickness and tears and health and strength and arms and hands and feet and eyes and ears and heads and bodies and life and death. He has done this in order to display his glories to us. Everything in creation leads to God. Every opportunity to talk infuses life with an understanding that the ways and words of God are everything.”

–Tedd and Margy Tripp, Instructing a Child’s Heart

Weigh the Risk: Yeah, I Did

Human Flight

Where do we draw the line on what is too risky and what is acceptable? Are unnecessary risks okay? Can risks that seem unnecessary really be necessary? What if God has made you adventurous? Really, on what grounds can you claim to be or do anything of God?

Specifically, should you–or I–jump out of a plane at 2.5 miles above the earth, attached in tandem to a stranger (Rob), for fun? Am I stupid? I don’t know if I should, and I very well might be dumb, but I did it anyway. I prayed for safety, for intervention and forgiveness if it was a bad decision, but all I could experience was pleasure, gratefulness, and joy, and I’m okay with that…I think…I think I should have read my Bible more…but, somehow, I still am okay with all this…maybe that’s because I didn’t die.