May 2025 Purging Stasis

My grand hopes for spending a year in devoted activity of purging derailed. March hours declined. April hours diminished. May hours tanked entirely. I may never get the purging mojo back.

In March, I purged 12 out of the 31 days (40%) for a total of 10 hours (average of 1/3 hour a day). I worked through more saved correspondence, this time from a missionary couple whose work we followed for years, from old friends, and from my sister. I unearthed a shell-covered trinket jar, a gift from a friend during my missionary stint in the Philippines:

When I sent this photo to Leah, she was overcome that I still had the gift in my possession. I know it is one of the few I kept. I ended up getting rid, years ago, of a wicker purse, a coin purse, and a handmade plaque made out small matchstick-style wood.

I also stumbled upon Bryce's baby book (probably unopened since he was a toddler). Then, I found these two I had for Trevor and Sean... absolutely empty, apart from the wrist bracelet from my youngest son's birth.

What a treasure trove I found in a huge pile of letters from my friends in England, the Mitchells! I took photos and sent a few to Sarah Mitchell, who was equally thrilled. We reflected together on some of the details mentioned and relished the joy our sustained friendship brings.

In April, I purged 10 out of the 30 days (33%) for a total of 8.5 hours (averaging not quite 20 minutes a day). I tackled the drawers of my downstairs desk. Then, for variety, I began purging clothes from my closet. I got rid of half my jeans. 

I purged items from my bedside table and moved on to old GED teaching files. Although I purged 24 games and puzzles, I still have not decided whether I will offer them to the local elementary school or try to get a small bit of money by taking them to Half Price Books.

In working on the puppets box, I found I could not let go of the beloved puppets John used to animate for Bryce when he was little. So, I kept Ronald and Dopey, Elmo and Piglet, a hamster and an iguana. I will offer the rest (14  characters and animals) to the schools or, perhaps, a church.

On the first day of May, our lives upended in a drastic way and I have not been able to bring myself to work on purging. I spend much time in prayer, much time disassociating, much time worrying, and not enough time doing the things I really should. Hopefully, I will not get to the end of this purging year and find this graphic to be true:

At least I can say that during the past few months, I have cut down on spending for things. I'm trying to only purchase necessities. In light of that, I must coupon-flex, in conclusion. I had a birthday coupon and several others to apply to this $10.49 shampoo at CVS, which brought the price down to a little over a buck. Can you see my fist pump?

Book Review: The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer

In 2023, I began a concerted effort to increase my prayer life. I created and completed a prayer project interceding for each of my Facebook friends. In 2024, I continued using those prayer cards to pray for those individuals throughout the year. This year, my focus has shifted. I now dedicate most of my time to interceding for specific individuals, foremost my prodigal son. I am incorporating fasting (not well, mind you, but doing my best).

Andrew Murray's The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer holds plenty of instruction and motivation for prayer. Its chapters cover the lack of prayer, models for praying, importunity in prayer, effective prayer, praying in God's name, and revival. Even though I own this book, I did not highlight or underline in it. Still, I went back to glean a few quotes which I shared with Trevor to encourage him as he attempts to battle his demons and abide in the Lord.

"The power to pray the effectual prayer of faith depended upon the life in Christ. A man must give himself up to live as entirely in Christ and for Christ as the branch in the vine and for the vine.... This teaching naturally led to emphasizing the need of a life of entire consecration.... Only by a full surrender to the life of abiding, by yielding to the fullness of the Spirit's leading and quickening, can the prayer life be restored to a truly healthy state." He concludes, "A life abiding in Christ and filled with the Spirit, a life entirely given up as a branch for the work of the vine, has the power to claim these promises [John 15:7] and to pray the 'effectual prayer that availeth much.' Lord, teach us to pray!"

The book looks at Christ and Paul as examples of prayer. It offers an appendix with a month of daily suggestions for what to pray and how to pray. I appreciated the main sections of the book more than this "school of prayer" section, but others might gain from it more than I did. Again, as with the Torrey book, this is a standard classic on prayer, perfect for anyone wishing to enhance their prayer life.

Book Review: How to Pray

I rarely record or review the reading I do in my daily devotions each morning. However, this year, I'm supplementing my normal routine with extra pages each day in some books on prayer. So now I'm going back to the two books I read at the start of the year (a chapter or a few pages a day). The first one I tackled was R. A. Torrey's How to Pray. This is a standard classic on prayer. Since it was my book, I underlined some key points to remember.

In writing of the power of prayer, a power we often neglect, Torrey says, "By prayer, the bitterest enemies of the gospel have become its most valiant defenders, the most wicked the truest sons of God, and the most contemptible women the purest saints.... How little we appreciate this marvelous weapon!" In a section on abiding in Christ, he observes, "Mere intellectual study of the Word of God is not enough; there must be meditation upon it." Prayer and being in the Word go hand in hand. As for effectiveness, he writes, "Anyone who desires power in prayer must be merciless in dealing with his own sins." I also underlined, "God cannot deal with us on the basis of forgiveness while we are harboring ill will against those who have wronged us." Finally, I noted a passage on the hindrance that unbelief is to prayer. I struggle to maintain firm belief in the face of my son's addictions. Lord, help my unbelief! Don't let it hinder my prayers!

May 2025 Kicks Off With a Bang

In the beginning of May, our lives took an unexpected and difficult turn, ramping up the daily stress levels significantly. I cannot discuss those details, but will instead shift my focus to my youngest son, Sean. On May 3rd, he and his girlfriend Claire attended their senior prom. He was decked out in a black tux with an emerald green vest. He purchased matching emerald loafers specifically for the occasion. We were thrilled to learn that Sean and Claire were voted Prom King and Queen for the evening.

On May 4th, they took a trip to King's Island for a post-prom activity with other friends. We had been praying for their safety for this trip. Praise God, they were indeed kept safe! While approaching the entrance, a driver in a jeep in front of them slammed on his brakes. Even though they were only going 10 mph, they slammed into the jeep. While the jeep was unaffected, Sean's car hood was bent. There was also a large hole where the jeep's hitch punctured Sean's bumper. We were very concerned that some internal damage may have made the vehicle unsafe for driving home. Thankfully, they drove home safely and Sean was able to continue using his car until we took it in to a body shop for repairs last week. 

This is very difficult for us now, because it renders us down to one car for the whole household and I become chief chauffer. Just before his car went into the shop, my husband detected a grinding noise coming from my vehicle. So, there was uncertainty that my car would remain viable, as well. I had hit a very large pothole on the way home from my trip to Patti Callahan Henry's author talk in Franklin, IN, last month. That resulted in replacement of the struts. Perhaps the grinding sound is related to that. We will not find out until after Memorial Day weekend and Sean's H. S. graduation.

On May 12th, the school held a Scholarship Night. Both Sean and Claire earned scholarships.

Sean has been accepted into the engineering school at Purdue University. While we are thrilled to see him follow in his brother's footsteps there, some of the requirements gave a great concern. Sean has always exhibited allergic reactions to immunizations. Although the doctor's office would like to label these as "localized allergic reactions," in my opinion, they are widespread. He runs significant levels of fever, exhibits pain (from the kindergarten shots, to the point of being unable to walk), and the shot site often swells up to the size of a grapefruit and is hot to the touch. Once again, as before, we were not allowed to make the decision of what is in the best interest of our son. The university health office denied our requests, with doctor verification, for a medical exemption. If something devastating had happened as a result, I can assure you, we would have pursued legal representation. We prayed God's covering over him and are extremely grateful that his reaction this time was limited to discomfort, mild swelling, and a touch of fever for several days.

We are also grateful for God's protection and care during recent events with our home. On Friday evening, during a touch of bad weather, I heard a loud boom and saw through the kitchen window that a huge limb from one of our trees had come down. It could have done so much more damage than it did. Thankfully, it fell between the kitchen and garage portion of the back of the house. It did pull down the power line, but the line didn't snap (praise God!) and crews were able to come out later in the night to free the line from the tree and rehang it. It took out John's bird feeding sanctuary area. It hit the corner of the porch roof and the corner of the kitchen roof and the corner of the garage roof. It bend down the gutters. Here are the indoor photos I snapped (again, I apologize for being a horrid photographer):

If you are a praying person, please remember us in your prayers as we navigate the rest of this month and upcoming summer. I can honestly say that it is only through His grace that we are enduring the path we have been called to walk. You may also wish to join Judy Douglass for Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day on June 2nd, 2025. Judy is the author of When You Love a Prodigal and the host of the When You Love a Prodigal podcast.

Mid-month Mention: Decluttering

I need all the decluttering pep talks I can get these days. It JUST. ISN'T. COMING. I've lost my mojo and my concentration. I am sucked dry of energy and enthusiasm for the task. Personal situations have clouded over my ability to focus on clearing my house of things. I would far rather rid my house of people and emotions.

Ah, well. Perhaps these videos will stir some pep within. Sheila Gibbons is a "downsizing mentor." She encourages others with her tips and pointers in the hopes we "downsizers" will feel less stress and more peace. First, I watched this video on "Decluttering Years of Stuff":

Then, I selected another Sheila Gibbons video, "10 Decluttering Rules for GUILT-FREE Downsizing":

Next, I jumped over to Dana K. White, author of my recent read, Decluttering at the Speed of Life. She promises to teach "How to Find a Place for Everything in Your Home When Decluttering."

There are plenty of helpful videos out there. Some are by The Minimal Mom, some by Clutterbug, and some by Mel Robbins. At the moment, I'm off to watch a few more, because... in classic procrastination and disassociation form... I'd rather watch videos than focus on getting rid of extraneous stuff. At least I'm not out buying more these days.

Book Review: Minister Rogers' Neighborhood

I jumped when Jordan Raynor offered gratis this short e-book, Minister Rogers' Neighborhood: How Fred Rogers Glorified God in His Work--and How You Can Do the Same. It is an excerpt from his upcoming book of Christian biographies called Five Mere Christians: Binge-Worthy Biographies That Show How to Glorify God in Your Work, written with Kaleigh Cox. I adored the more extensive biography, The Good Neighbor, written by Maxwell King. Mister Rogers was such a powerful example and encourager to children everywhere. He lived out his calling to the best of his ability. His voice still speaks into our current chaotic world. I often see the quote he provided after the 9/11 incident, referring to looking for "the helpers."

One thing I learned from Raynor's brief biography: Fred Rogers was uncomfortable touching his eye, so he had his ophthalmologist/assistant put his contacts in every morning and remove them in the evening. I would probably be too squeamish to wear contacts, but doubt I'd find someone willing to place them and remove them for me, ha! I think the key takeaway from this quick e-book is to find what God has placed on your heart to do and do it with all your might to the glory of the Lord. Mister Rogers didn't just work in children's educational television; he sought to speak into the lives of each viewer, whatever the Holy Spirit wanted them to hear. I loved the lesson Fred learned about how the Holy Spirit can speak into a person's life, even when that same message doesn't reach another individual. Fred said, "I've been able to recognize that the space between someone who is offering the best he can and someone who is in need is holy ground." Here's a short snippet of an interview with Dr. Lee Warren, author of Hope is the First Dose, that highlights this quote.

If you prefer sound-bite biographies or if you're looking for a more Christian spin, this book fits the bill. I, personally, preferred King's biography of Fred Rogers. But I have a master's in history, so I've never viewed biographies as a chore. Raynor's emphasis remains on doing secular work with just as much passion as ministers, missionaries, and clergy. His focus is on the theology of work. If you are working in a secular job and struggling to see how it matters for the Kingdom of God, Raynor's books target you specifically.

If you'd like to read this, click here to download your free copy or you can find it on Amazon.

Book Review: The Paper Bracelet

I adore Maeve Binchy books. Rachael English's novel, The Paper Bracelet, is recommended for fans of Maeve Binchy. Thus, I purchased the E-book to read during my spring break trip. I wouldn't say I was as sucked in as a Binchy book. Yet, it was an intriguing story. This book made me think of two friends. One is a college pal (adopted at birth). Another is a former student of mine who had a baby at 13, after a friend of her family raped her. Neither of these cases played out in a despicable group home for unwed mothers. Still, rubbing shoulders with their stories burned deep empathy for young women who become pregnant outside of the safe confines of marriage. Society has not treated such women with the compassion and dignity they deserve.

Indeed, it was hard to read of the conditions many young unwed mothers faced. Their families sent them away to erase the mark of embarrassment. These homes often forced them to go by aliases (dehumanizing) and expected them to do manual labor to earn their keep. But the hardest facet of their experience came after they had given birth. I cannot imagine how young girls survived. What a unique torture to carry a child within you, endure scorn, stigma, and ridicule, and then suffer the greatest hardship, the stealing of that child! They imprisoned and chastised these young girls. They stripped them of the greatest bond a woman can know. Oh, the ache! The injustice!

When Katie's husband dies, she sets out on a new adventure. She unearths a box of baby identity bracelets she has kept for years. Working in a home for unwed mothers was difficult, but maybe Katie can give back now. She hopes to reunite mothers with their stolen children, sent to be raised by more respectable couples. She posts a notice on an adoption board and, with the help of her niece Beth, seeks answers that are often hard to find.

This book taps a gamut of emotions lurking in this societal scar. So many perspectives cry out to be heard. Mothers lost the babies with whom they had bonded. The children lost a sense of identity, always wondering over the whereabouts of their birth parents. To walk a mile in these shoes is painful.

I struggled to keep the characters straight because the many mothers and children went by different names. This is an aspect rooted in historical practice, so I cannot fault the author. Indeed, at the end of the book, the author expresses her battle with fleshing out the characters when her journalistic tendencies wanted to pour forth all the information she was gleaning through research. I would have welcomed more information. It is a fascinated and troubling story from history. We live in a broken world, and our responses to brokenness fail to heal. Either of my friends could have lived out this story. I thank the Lord they didn't.

Book Review: The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride

I snatched this popular title up for a buck at a library book sale. What a delightful read during my spring break trip! I intended to stick with a Kindle selection, but threw this in my bag at the last second. I'm so glad I did. The pages fell away.

On Mr. Murray McBride's 100th birthday, he has no clue why he's still around. His 2 sons and beloved wife are gone. Yet he lingers, even while battling lung difficulties. It's enough to make one want to skip your meds and allow nature to take its course. Then, he encounters 10-year-old Jason Cashman, a boy with mere months to live unless he gets a new heart. Driven by a new goal, Murray sets out to help Jason achieve his 5 personal wishes/dreams. But making dreams come true can be a risky business.

The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride was like a shot of adrenaline, restoring flagging purpose and energy. It reminds the reader that tomorrow is uncertain and it is important to live every day to the full. The characters are endearing and the story is sweet. Despite a twinge of sadness, it ends on a hopeful note. If you are looking for a touching read, this book satisfies the itch. Siple's simple, tender tale of declining and restored vigor instills hope in the reader and inspires determination to make each day count. I thought about leaving the book in the airport for someone else to find, but I wanted to read it again some day.  

Book Review: The Sacredness of Secular Work

The subtitle to this book is a mouthful, but articulates the major thrust of Jordan Raynor's message. The full title is The Sacredness of Secular Work: 4 Ways Your Job Matters for Eternity (Even When You're Not Sharing the Gospel). Famous for his theology of work, Raynor emphasizes our need to address the First Commission in addition to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20 "Go and make disciples of all nations...") What is that First Commission? It is the call to create things, places, and people that reflect His glory. Your witness for the Lord woos more people than sharing the "Romans Road." What you say and do matters for the kingdom!

It is important to realize that God delights in the work of your hands. Your excellence in hairstyling, in teaching, in sanitation work... it all can bring God glory. Raynor pleads that your work has intrinsic value of eternal significance. I loved his admonition to follow William Wilberforce's example. This man could have left politics once he became a Christian; instead, he remained to play a key role in abolishing the slave trade. He created "launcher" topics for individuals he might meet, to help lead them from surface to serious to spiritual conversation. Raynor suggests you create a list of launchers and even helps you create those through the excellent resources available online with this book.

Doing whatever work your hand finds to do, and doing it to the best of your ability, shines forth for God. I need this message just as much as workers who earn a wage for their secular work. While I earn no wage, I do work. I keep a home and raise my remaining son. My book reviews, on this blog, further the writing work of others. My participation in various book clubs allows me an opportunity to meet and touch the lives of others. How I pray I will one day hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" May my "work" live on into eternity, as Tolkien's "Leaf by Niggle." (If you're unfamiliar with that story, look it up. It is well worth investigating. Or, read this book. Raynor outlines Tolkien's story and its important message within these pages.)