Grace Alone

Being reminded today how desperately I need God's grace.  I haven't listened to this song in years, but I've been thinking of it a lot today.  We can do nothing apart from God's grace, and any good that we do, every right choice we make, any blessing we can bring to someone else, is only by His grace.

"Grace Alone"

by Christina Hamilton

 Every promise we can make

  Every prayer and step of faith 

Every difference we can make

Is only by his grace

Every mountain we will climb

Every ray of hope we shine

Every blessing left behind

Is only by his grace

(chorus)

Grace alone which God supplies

Strength unknown He will provide

Christ in us, our cornerstone 

We will go forth in grace alone

Every soul we long to reach

Every heart we hope to teach

Everywhere we share his peace

Is only by his grace

Every loving word we say

Every tear we wipe away

Every sorrow turned to praise

Is only by his grace

You can listen here if you like, and be encouraged!

- Melissa

Favorite Gluten Free Flour Blend

        About two years ago, we discovered that our second daughter, Sarah, has problems. After months of struggling to figure out why she constantly had digestive problems, discolored teeth, and was not gaining weight quickly, we finally tried eliminating gluten from her diet. In a few short weeks, she had grown a few inches and put on a couple pounds. The digestive problems cleared up. And after a few months, her teeth turned white again! So now, all of us eat gluten-free most of the time. It's just easier and makes more sense for us to all eat the same thing, instead of trying to cook and bake two different varieties of everything I make. I've experimented a good bit with different flours and recipes and I'd like to share some of our favorite gluten free foods on this blog. So here's a flour blend that I often use.

Oatmeal-Sorghum Flour Blend

2 cups oat flour

2 cups sorghum flour

2 cups potato starch or cornstarch

1 Tb. Xanthan gum

Mix all together and store in an airtight container.

           I like to double or triple this recipe when I mix it up, and that way, I'm not constantly having to mix up more flour. I should mention that oats do not agree with some people who have to be on gluten free diets. Oats themselves are gluten free, but the way that they are processed may cause them to be slightly contaminated by gluten. This has not caused a problem for Sarah, but some people may need to use oats that are certified gluten-free.

         I'll be sharing recipes that use this flour blend in the near future!

Flatbread made with Oatmeal-Sorghum Flour Blend

  

Tired of "Modesty"?

I will just go ahead and say it. This thought that I've been thinking for quite sometime. I think that people are sick and tired of hearing the word “modest”. It sounds stuffy and antiquated. A word that should have been replaced or done away with a long time ago. I mean really, these are the days of “selfies”, “smartphones”, and “txting”. Let's get rid of the archaic English words here.

Well, I'm not writing this because I am tired of the subject modesty, or of the word itself. In fact, I'm quite passionate about it. It's something that has been thrown by the wayside in our modern culture, and is in desperate need of being reclaimed. In spite of the fact that I think people are tired of hearing about “modesty”, it is interesting to note that nearly every time the subject is addressed, sparks fly, and just about everyone has a pretty strong opinion about it. It's a very touchy subject, which is why I have always been hesitant to address it. But it is important........ it's so very important. Which is why I'm willing to take the risk of talking about it, although my preference is to simply be silent. :)

I think for many, the very thought of “modesty” conjures of images of frumpy, stoic women who walk proudly by with an air of superiority as they glance, critically, at your clothing. This isn't the “modesty” that I'm talking about. Often, as soon as a person hears the word modest, they immediately relate it to clothing. But, if you look up the word in a dictionary, you're unlikely to find much in the definition that even talks about clothing. A quick peek in the Random House Dictionary gave me this definition:

modest -

1. having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one's merits, importance, etc.

2. free from ostentation or showy extravagance

3. moderate
4. having or showing a regard for the decencies of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

When we hear the word modesty, our minds almost always think of how we are dressed. But if you look at the definition, the word modesty does not exclusively address the topic of clothing. It does apply to our clothing, but not just to what we wear. It's describing a lifestyle that is characterized by moderation, balance, and humility. It's not caught up with “self”, but is free of pride and arrogance. So it's about a whole lot more than just what we put on.

But - “modesty” does often relate to our clothing, and on this blog, when I talk about modesty, I will be primarily referring to what we choose to wear. So......back to my original thought – people are tired of hearing about modesty. For too many, modesty has become a list of rules that they'd rather not keep, a bunch of unnecessary “don'ts”, and something to quarrel and criticize over. Modesty is not what it should be – a matter of the heart.

What if we started to look at this topic from a different perspective? What if we stopped hyper-focusing on all the things we shouldn't wear, seeing modesty only as a list of “do's and don'ts” ? What if, by our actions, attitudes, words, and our clothing, we made modesty attractive and beautiful – something to be desired and valued? What if we looked first at our hearts, and then at our clothing? What if, without throwing out the concept of modesty, we simply made an effort to be “lovely”?

Armor and A Prayer

        “Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Eph. 6:10-18 (NKJV)

        The last few weeks, we studied the armor of God from Ephesians in our family devotions with our little ones. We sang songs like “I'm in the Lord's Army”, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”, and “The Battle Belongs to the Lord”. We memorized Ephesians 6:10-17 and talked about each piece of the armor and how we can “wear” it. They really enjoyed it, and reading it in conjunction with Little Pilgrim's Progress by Helen Taylor, has made for lots of battles, giants, and swords around our house lately! Yesterday, Sarah came up with this drawing and asked me to label it for her. :)  

        I've been thinking a good bit, lately, about praying the words of Scripture for our children (and for my husband, too). Since I had memorized the passage in Ephesians about putting on the armor of God, it seemed like a good place to start. One of the beautiful things about praying Scripture for our loved ones is that we can pray the very words of God over them as we meditate on those words ourselves.

        Lord, I pray for _______ to be strong in Your mighty power. I pray that he will be clothed in the full armor of God, so that he will be able to stand against the wiles of satan. Help _________ to remember that our battle is not against other people, but that we fight against the devil and his forces, who are at work in this dark world. May ________ be protected by Your armor, so that he can stand firm each day. I pray that he will be encircled with truth – that he would meditate on things that are true, and that he would speak only the truth. I pray that ________ would be clothed with righteousness, and that he would do and say only those things that would honor you. May he be prepared to share the gospel of peace at every opportunity. I pray that ________ will be protected from the devil's schemes by his faith in You. May he wear the helmet of salvation and carry the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, in his heart today. Amen.

- Melissa

I Am Complete

This week our pastor really challenged me with this famous quote:  

"The ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what it was made for."

                            I Am Complete

The Almighty God of the universe knelt down, it was now time to fashion his ultimate creation. Dust. How did he do it? This time he would not speak, but with his own hands would outline his image in the dust. God began shaping and molding a perfect likeness of himself. This would be the creature that he would have an intimate relationship with. God's own breath was breathed into the form.                               

                         The man was now complete. 

When a project is complete it is ready to be used. The chocolate double layer cake with cocoa fudge icing is complete. It is ready to be served. The cake with icing with children's fingerprints poked here and there is still complete and ready to serve. Although it is not picture perfect anymore, it is still complete and can be used. You and I are never going to be perfect, but with Christ we are complete. We are ready to serve. To not eat the completed cake because a chubby finger enjoyed some icing would be a waste. And just because you don't have your act altogether, to not let God use you would be a waste. 

With Christ we are complete. Move away from the idea that you must be perfect in order to serve. Let the truth that you are complete replace that lie.   You are complete.    Now serve. 

- Susie

Is My Heart Prepared to Deal with My Children's Sins?

       The last little while I've been thinking and praying a lot about how I train, care for, and discipline our children. I have often struggled with feeling like the Bible doesn't really give us a whole lot of specific advice when it comes to the nitty gritty, every day, down to earth details of how to train our children.

       Then a few days ago one of our children said something that was really quite cruel to a sibling. I was just truly grieved. I wasn't angry or frustrated – just very grieved. And then I thought - This must be how God feels when I sin. And I began to think that this is more the way that I should feel anytime one of my children sins, rather than becoming frustrated or angry, as I often do.

       I've started thinking a lot about God as our Father and how He deals with us, and realizing that if we take that perspective, there are boundless examples in the Bible of how we should correct and discipline our children. I keep thinking about Psalm 103:10..... “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.” Now I don't think for a moment that we should overlook or ignore our children's sins. But I think that often, the way that I correct our children ends up being more than they deserve, because my correction is too often coupled with my own frustration or anger. I think I tend to see myself as being “over” my children. And then I end up “lording it over” them, rather than correcting with grace and humility. I wonder if it would be better to view myself as a more mature believer coming alongside a weaker one and helping them to grow. (Not to ignore the fact that parents do have a God-given place of authority in their children's lives.) If I were to confront or rebuke another believer who was sinning, I would come to them much more gently, humbly, and prayerfully than I generally approach our children when I need to correct or discipline them.

     I have been pondering and thinking about this question: Why does my children's sin annoy and frustrate me so much? The only answer I can come up with is that it is because it is inconvenient and difficult to deal with their sin. Once again I have to stop what I am doing to deal with a problem. I have to come up with a consequence when I am at a loss as to what to do about this issue. At the root of my anger and frustration is my own selfishness. The selfishness and impatience in my own heart cause me to be annoyed and angered, rather than being saddened and grieved. Surely this doesn't reflect the heart of our heavenly Father, who must continually deal with our sin, who gave His own Son for our sin. I can never deal humbly, gently and effectively with my children's sin when my own heart is full of selfishness. I need God to cleanse and change my own heart before I can help to change and shape my children's hearts. 

- Melissa

Meet my family....

Since I will probably mention them from time to time as I write on this blog, I thought I would take a few moments to introduce the members of my family.

This is my wonderful husband, Dan. He is truly one of the most precious gifts God has given me. Dan loves God even more than he loves me, and that is what makes him such a blessing to me. He is presently a math and Bible teacher at a small Christian school, but for the first few years of our marriage he was a music teacher. He loves to sing and play french horn most of all, but does quite well on many different instruments, including piano, guitar, and bass. For over a year now, Dan has been speaking at a small Native American church, that does not have a full time pastor at the moment.

In the summer, Dan loves gardening, and spends just as much time as I do (if not more!) planting, watering, weeding, and picking. He also enjoys riding his bike – even on the bumpy dirt roads we live on! Lately, he has started doing some carpentry work, and has been enjoying learning that new skill. He is a wonderful father to our children and is careful to set aside time for them in the midst of his busy schedule.

Our oldest daughter Hannah is five years old. She is very conscientious and likes things to be neat and in order. She loves being a big sister and is especially enjoying having a baby in the house to hold. She is our little snuggler, and is always glad to cuddle up on the sofa for a few minutes. Hannah is having fun learning how to cook and also how to play the piano.

Sarah is our energetic four year old, with sparkly eyes and boundless energy! She is always on the go, but really, really enjoys doing puzzles and coloring, which surprises me, since those activities involve sitting still! She loves to be outside, but also enjoys helping in the kitchen, reading books, and helping with whatever I might be doing.

Daniel is 2 years old. After having two girls, it didn't take us long to figure out that boys were very different. As soon as he began to take notice of things around him, Daniel loved anything that had wheels – trucks, tractors, wagons, and especially the big combines we often see in the field. He already loves to be Daddy's little helper and will go outside with Dan anytime he can.

And this is Joshua, our very, very sweet little four month old. He's been a very calm and pleasant baby from the start, and you'll almost never hear him crying unless he's scared of something! He fits right into our busy little home, and loves watching everything that's going on around him.

- Melissa

Hello!

       Hello! I'm Melissa. I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, and it's my prayer and desire that this would define who I am more than anything else. I'm also a wife and a homeschooling mom of four. I love being able to stay at home with our children and care for our home.

       I grew up knowing that more than anything else, I wanted to be a wife and mother. God has graciously granted that desire, and I am so grateful to be where He has me. I enjoy most of the things that I do as as a homemaker – of course there are those jobs that I don't enjoy as much as others – like cleaning and ironing! I enjoy cooking and experimenting with new recipes. I guess, in general, I like to try new things, so if there's a way to make it or do it myself, I will usually give it a try! In my little bits of free time here and there, I crochet, read, play piano, and take walks with my husband. In this season of my life, though, most of my time is devoted to my children and my husband, and I am thankful to be able to give my time to them. My husband and I really enjoy having people over to our home, and we try to invite others over as often as we can.

         I grew up on a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania. It was a simple, but full life. I am the oldest of six children, with four younger brothers and one little sister. My mom stayed at home with all of us, homeschooling us through most of our years of school, and my dad worked hard and faithfully on the farm. I have many fond memories from my childhood of going on long walks with Mom to wherever my Dad was working in the fields, playing in the nearby creek, helping with farm chores, like milking and feeding calves, and playing outside (lots!) with my brothers. Our home was a pleasant one – not perfect – but good in so many ways. My parents both loved the Lord and were committed to training us to love and serve Him. I remember praying a very simple, childlike prayer, when I was four years old, and asking Jesus to come into my heart. I had dome something unkind to one of my younger brothers and I remember, quite vividly, knowing that I needed someone to help me – to change me.

         As I grew older, there was, indeed, much that needed to change and grow in my young heart. There were also hopes and dreams, that I believe God placed in my heart, that I would pray over and pursue. One of those dreams was to do some kind of mission work, and when I was 20, I had the privilege of spending a year in an orphanage in Ghana, Africa. It was a wonderful experience for me in many ways, and I learned a lot through it. There were also mistakes that I made, and God would use those to teach me and work in my heart in profound ways.

        As I said before, my greatest desire had always been to be a wife and a mother. When I was 23, I finally began dating the man who would later become my husband. Maybe sometime in the future I will share in more detail about how the Lord brought us together, but for now, I will stick to a shorter version! The wait for marriage had often seemed very long, and God had many lessons to teach me, and much work to do in my heart before I was ready to be a wife and a mother. Looking back now, I can see at least some of the reasons that God allowed me to wait longer than I wanted to! When I met Dan, it didn't take me very long to figure out that he was passionate about loving God and serving him, and that was the thing that drew me to Dan more than anything else. After a short time of dating and engagement, we were married on August 12, 2006. 

         

 Since then, God has blessed us with four children and has taken us on a journey together that has included four different homes. Our last move took us from a rural part of Pennsylvania to a VERY rural part of Montana, where we live now. My husband is a math and Bible teacher at a small Christian school. We are also involved with a small Native American church, where Dan fills in as a pastor, as the church goes through the process of prayerfully seeking a full time pastor.

Join me on my journey as I share my struggles and joys, the lessons God has for me, and the way he is working here!

-Melissa

On my heart......

        For the past few years, I have kept a blog for our family at danandmelissamarasco.blogspot.com. It is full of pictures, mostly of our sweet little ones.  It has become somewhat of a family journal and a way to share what we are doing with our extended family and friends, most of whom live far from us.
       Recently though, I've had the desire to share more than pictures. I'd like to use this blog to share what the Lord is doing in my life, lessons He is teaching me, and things that He has laid on my heart. I've never considered myself to be a gifted writer, but I usually find it easier to write my thoughts than to speak them.  I've asked my mom, Susie, who also enjoys writing, to join me.
      It is our prayer that you will be blessed and encouraged as we share what is on our hearts.

- Melissa