"Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another,
And the LORD listened and heard them;
So a book of remembrance was written before Him
For those who fear the LORD
And who meditate on His name."
Malachi 3:16
One of the scariest things about writing down words is their longevity. If you just tell me something, I'm liable to forget. But if you write it down I can hold you to it, bring it up to you again, and maybe use it against you in an emergency.
I feel like I'm constantly checking myself. Is what I've written really true? Do I really feel that way? What if I change my mind? I suppose I use my own words against myself sometimes, but I don't think that's bad.
I've spent a little time looking over the most read posts from 2014. It's the best kind of review, to look over your words from the year and analyze where you spent your thoughts.
Here are the top 10 for 2014, in no particular order. These are the posts you read and shared the most, and I am most grateful for you. I hope 2015 finds us gaining His ear and meditating on His name even more.
What if You Just Stopped for 15 Minutes?
"When I talk about “feeding eternity in me or someone else” I’m not trying to be all transcendental or mystical. I’m not talking about exalting my own soul above the Spirit in me, or anyone else.
I am talking about doing things that nourish, encourage, motivate, cultivate, and foster a love of the truth, goodness, and beauty that Christ has put in our hearts – the place where He has written eternity.
What kinds of things can we do to grow that place in us, and in turn, how will that grow our love of Christ?"
We're Still Friends {Faith and Culture Writer's Conference 2014}
"I believe we should talk about things that are difficult for us, read some books that are too hard for us, and have some friends that are very different from us. The challenges are good and we are reminded that we are part of a big picture, not the focal point."
The Simple List {How I Gained an Hour Each Day}
This one's about two bad habits I broke and it was good for me to review, because in true fool-to-his-folly fashion, I needed a reminder. Ahem.
"...these large problems, they’re not my children, and they don’t belong to my children. They belong to me I think. I’m the one worried and playing out the scenarios and trying to know the unknown.
They want cell phones and driving privileges and extended borders and for crying out loud my son wants to hunt bear, and all I can think of is how can we give them freedom and still keep them safe? How do I manage all the circumstances of their lives so that no heartache comes, no sin besets, and no failure prevails?"
This one is about sheer extravagance.
"Things don’t have to always make sense. As Emily said last weekend at The Barn – we can become addicted to drawing conclusions. Maybe drawing conclusions makes us feel justified, when what we really need is to walk in confidence of the Spirit’s work in our life – convicting of sin, righteousness, and judgement."
The random coconut oil-homeschool-rest-cough drops-and-scripture post. Just because.
"May His grace sustain you on those days. May you more fully appreciate the ups and downs of your life. May you and your children know God better this year because of His infinite goodness that is beyond finding out – but you keep searching it anyway."
Some days, I tell ya.
"Two kids will be at practices, which means they’ll need the car. But I’m leaving at 3, with the car and another child. I don’t know when my husband will be home from work, so I’ll make phone calls for rides to and from practice right after I get some meat out to thaw for the dinner that I won’t be here to prepare and they won’t be here to eat, and then I’ll check the garden. And cut some flowers. And fill the bird feeders and clean up the shoes in the garage. And then I realize that the only one home at dinner time will be my 9 year old…"
This one's for all of us who ask the kids, "What do you want to be when you grow up?".
"We ought to pay more attention to the dreams our children have, before logic and sensibility and financial security over-rule them."
"We end the year with the Word that spoke us into being, coming as flesh to us, coming to live and give His life. It’s a December-ending, rolling over to a January-beginning, and death and life circle one another as odd partners."
Thank you, reader-friends.