Personal Life: Stress Relief

What's Your Favorite Way to Relax?

Soaking in the bathtub with lavendar essential oil, drinking frozen margaritas with e-Dad, looking at home design magazines, or reading the Psalms. These are a few of my favorite ways to de-stress at the end of a long day.

Protect Your Health

The experts tell us that if there's one thing that gets in the way of optimal health, it's stress. Research shows that anxiety can make us sleep fewer hours, get sick more often, remember less, and eat more. We've all heard the statistics: the majority of doctor visits are for stress-related complaints like indigestion, headaches, and back pain.

Given the current state of our economy, it's not surprising that 52 percent of women in a Self.com survey said they are under considerably more stress than they were six months ago.

13 Easy Ways to Chill Out

So what can we do to block the stress hormone cortisol and rev up the production of happiness-inducing brain chemicals like seratonin? Try these . . .

1. Watch a comedy DVD and laugh it up
2. Sip chamomile tea
3. Go for an easy run
4. Walk the dog
5. Listen to your favorite tunes
6. Have a java with a girlfriend and take turns "venting"
7. Use full-spectrum light bulbs
8. Treat yourself to a massage, manicure, or a pedicure
9. Light some candles
10. Cuddle with your spouse (or make love)
11. Write in your journal
12. Recall the details of your last vacation
13. Make new friends with the Thursday Thirteen bloggers!


How do you switch on your brain's pleasure centers? (Do I hear chocolate?)

Photo: Ian Rory & Jennifer Yeung (Flickr)

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Binoculars Provided to View the Details

If you're planning to visit Norfolk, England this summer you might want to allow time to visit Alan Garrard's 1:100 scale model of Herod's Temple. A retired farmer, Garrard (78) has spent the last 30 years constructing his version of the ancient Jewish structure which stood in Jerusalem during Jesus' day.

Attracting thousands of visitors from around the globe, historical experts believe the model is the best representation in the world.

Discover more info here. More images are here.

Via Ben Witherington.

Join the good folk over at 5MFM for more exciting Wordless Wednesday posts.

Cool, yes?


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Theology: Is God HE?

Re-imagining God in The Shack

Recently, Gender Blog posted a review of the popular book, The Shack by professor and author Mary Kassian (The Feminist Mistake). If you're among the "un-Shacked evangelical minority" (like me) here's the story in a nutshell. I deeply respect professor Kassian and the counter-cultural position she takes in defense of biblical femininity. She certainly doesn't mince words when it comes to her opinions. Listen to what she has to say about how God is presented in The Shack.

“The Shack contains terribly wrong concepts about God. Plain and simple... I've had good friends tell me that I'm missing the point of the Shack. Maybe I am. But maybe, just maybe, they are. Maybe they are getting caught up in the emotion of a heart-wrenching story and are failing to notice the horrendous theology that under girds it. The authors claim that 'at its core the book is one long Bible Study.' This isn't an ordinary story book. It's a book that seeks to transform people's ideas about God. The fiction is merely a vehicle for the theology.

How we image God matters. So the image of God the book presents matters. It matters a great deal. I seem to recall that God wasn't terribly amused when his people imaged him in the wrong way, as a golden calf. If you're not convinced that we should refrain from imaging God as female, and are interested in understanding more about the feminist theology rampant in the Shack, check into my book, The Feminist Mistake. If you take the time to understand the impact that feminism has had on society and church, then maybe you'll understand my distase for the Shack's feminine god rendition.

The nearly universal frothing of the Christian community over the Shack shows me how very much the philosophy of feminism has influenced even the Evangelical church.

When it comes down to it, my primary interest is not to engage in a debate about the merits of the Shack. It's OK if you liked the book. There are some good messages in it, and parts that I liked very much. And it's apparently helped people in some significant ways. So that's the good part. But I do want you to think about the false gender-blended image of God this book insidiously presents. And I do want you to base your thinking about God and masculinity and femininity on Scripture, and not on the spirit of this age. The thing that bothers me the most about the Shack is that it wraps destructive ideas up in an appealing package and feeds it to people who have neither the discernment nor the desire to carefully separate truth from error. Most Shackites don't have a clue about the magnitude of the implications of messing with Trinitarian imagery.

Here's the thing. In the Old Testament, God instructed his people to reject female goddess images and images of God as a bi-sexual or a dual-sexual Baal/Ashtoreth-type collaboration. God hated this imagery so much that he had his people destroy it and all those who promoted it. The New Testament Church also fought hard against teachings that sought to incorporate female images of God alongside the male images - the Gnostic heresy, in particular. And now, it seems that the same ideas are knocking once again.... and many are throwing the Church doors wide open and welcoming them in.

What's the big deal? Why can't we image God as female? The main reason is that God defines who God is and how we are to image him and relate to him. God has chosen to reveal himself with male imagery. Father is HE. Son is HE. Holy Spirit is HE. That's not to say that God is male. He encompasses everything that is good about masculinity and femininity. But that doesn't mean that we have the liberty to think or refer to him as female. That's crossing a line we have no right to cross.

The gender imagery that God has given us is highly important. It reflects critical truths about the nature of the Trinity. Calling him "she" violates his character and important imagery about the nature of our relationship to him...

There's a whole lot more to be said about the importance of accurate gender imagery and the importance of honoring and preserving masculine imagery for God. But I'll leave it at that for now. Hopefully this post has alerted you to some popular false ways of thinking that are both insidious and dangerous. The nearly universal frothing of the Christian community over the Shack shows me how very much the philosophy of feminism has influenced even the Evangelical church.”

You can read the entire article here.

Your raves, rants, and reactions?

Photo: mllerustad (Flickr)

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Humor: Difference Between M & F

Using the Cash Machine

There are those in our culture today who say that there are no real differences between men and women except for the obvious physiological differences. Somebody observed the difference between the way men get money out of an ATM machine versus the way women get money out of an ATM machine.

For men it’s fairly simple . . .

1. Drive up to the cash machine.
2. Put down your car window.
3. Insert card into machine and enter your pin number.
4. Enter amount of cash required and withdraw.
5. Retrieve card, cash, and receipt.
6. Put window up.
7. Drive off.

Now here’s the female procedure . . .

1. Drive up to the cash machine.
2. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with the machine.
3. Set parking brake and put the window down.
4. Find handbag and remove all contents onto the passenger seat to locate card.
5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and
hang up.
6. Attempt to insert card into machine.
7. Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to an excessive distance from the car.
8. Insert card.
9. Reinsert card the right way.
10. Dig through handbag to find diary with your pin written on the inside back page.
11. Enter pin.
12. Press cancel and re-enter correct pin.
13. Enter amount of cash required.
14. Check makeup in rear view mirror. [I didn’t see that on the men’s list!]
15. Retrieve cash and receipt.
16. Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place
cash inside.
17. Write debit amount in check register and place receipt in back of checkbook.
18. Recheck makeup.
19. Drive forward two feet.
20. Reverse back to cash machine.
21. Retrieve card.
22. Re-empty handbag, locate cardholder and place card in the slot provided.
23. Mouth "I’m sorry" to the irate male driver waiting
behind you.
24. Restart stalled engine and pull off.
25. Redial person on cell phone.
26. Drive for two to three miles.
27. Release parking brake.

Via Nancy Leigh DeMoss at Revive Our Hearts Radio. Need more laughs? Head over to Homesteader's Heart for this week's Friday Funnies.

Photos: ThiagoMartin & redspotted (Flickr)

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Word-Filled-Wednesday: Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14 NIV)

Visit The 160 Acre Woods and let Amydeanne and the other bloggers uplift you with their timely Word-filled posts.




Photo: Carf (Flickr)

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Practical Life: Obedience in Finances

Kingdom Economics
by Os Hillman

"So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant." (Josh 24:13)

In the world of business we are taught to do whatever it takes to produce a desired outcome. Competitive forces can drive companies to go beyond the limits of ethics and integrity to achieve a desired outcome. Men and women can become work-a-holics as the need for competitive advantage is passed down the various management levels in order to meet sales and marketing goals. This sweat and toil mentality contradicts God's Kingdom Economy.

The Kingdom Economy is found in the above verse in Joshua. When the people of Israel were coming out of Egypt, a place of sweat and toil and slavery, God was trying to teach them a new economy of receiving. Instead of sweat and toil, He wanted them to learn obedience. Now their income would be based on their obedience, not their skill or their sweat and toil.

This new Kingdom Economy meant that there would be times when what you receive from your efforts might be less than the commensurate time invested. Yet, there would also be times when you would receive more compared to your time invested.

I used to determine whether I would meet with a person based on my perceived return on that investment. I justified that behavior as being a good steward. God says we are to determine if He wants us to meet with that person or be involved with an endeavor based on His leading alone, not based on the perceived outcome. It is His responsibility to bring fruit from the activity.

This will result in a new freedom in your work life. Stay vertical with God and let Him determine your next activity.

This excerpt has been quoted from the e-newsletter Prime Time With God/TGIF.


Do you agree with this author's perspective?




Note: If you would like support this ministry, please click the DONATE button in my sidebar. Thank you for your partnership with Chrysalis.

Photos: Andrew Wyang (Flickr)

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Random: The Garden of Your Daily Living

Plant Three Rows of Peas

1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

Plant Four Rows of Squash

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

Plant Four Rows of Lettuce

1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

No Garden Without Turnips

1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another







And We Must Have Thyme

1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. Remember, you will reap what you sow.

Author Unknown. Via Toia at Designer's Original.

Photos: GaetanLee, romanlily, InPraiseofSardines, amortize (Flickr)

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Word-Filled-Wednesday: 1 Pet 3:4-5

“...let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands...” (1 Pet 3:4-5 ESV)

Visit The 160 Acre Woods and let Amydeanne and the other bloggers uplift you with their timely Word-filled posts.




Reflection: Two Hedges by Nancy Wilson

Much godly wisdom about the feminine character is packed into the first six verses of 1 Peter, chapter three. The primary charge to women in this passage involves submission, and the rest of the exhortation addresses related areas of modesty, internal beauty, a gentle and quiet spirit, trust in God, and fear. It is vital that women understand the connection submission to husbands has to that much desired gentle and quiet spirit.

God has put two hedges around a Christian woman for her protection. The first and more important is a woman's trust in God. This is followed by a godly submission to husbands... Trust in God enables a woman to submit to her husband, for it is certainly a prerequisite. She tells herself that God is faithful, that He has commanded her to submit to her husband, and that her obedience to God in submission is pleasing to Him. When submission begins to look foolish or frightening or just plain unappealing, a woman remembers this hedge of trust in God. He has promised never to leave or forsake His children. A wife must trust Him and walk by faith. This is the first protection.

It is vital that women understand the connection submission to husbands has to that much desired gentle and quiet spirit.

Some people mistakenly think that a gentle and quiet spirit is displayed when a woman never speaks. This has concerned some of the outgoing personalities because they don't know how to be a silent lump. This is merely looking at externals. Certainly sometimes a quiet spirit will be exhibited by silence, but not always. And a quiet person can be all worked up on the inside. This is missing the point. A heart that is resting in the faithfulness of God is gentle and quiet; it is not stirred up with worry and anxiety. This gentle and quiet spirit is a calm, peaceful spirit. It is a tame spirit, a gentled spirit. I have often compared this kind of spirit to a glassy lake, not turbulent or troubled, but hardly showing a ripple. In contrast, the anxious spirit is like a stormy sea with whitecaps whipping along the shore. This of course brings to mind our Lord calming the troubled Sea of Galilee. Likewise, He can calm our troubled spirits when we look to Him.

The second hedge of protection is the submission itself. When a woman trusts God, she is enabled to submit joyfully to her husband. This submission is another hedge of protection, because it is obedience. The responsibility of the decision rests on the husband; the consequences are his problem, not hers. This resting in God and submission to husband is what makes a woman beautiful: "let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God" (v. 4). God thinks highly of this gentled spirit, and so should we. We must strive for this kind of beauty, for it is incorruptible. A calm wife is a joy to her husband; a worried wife is another problem that needs solving.

A woman who is anxious and worried is marring her beauty because fear is antithetical to a biblical beauty.

A woman who is anxious and worried is marring her beauty because fear is antithetical to a biblical beauty. Sarah trusted in God and submitted to her husband in obedience. Christian women are called to imitate her faith and her good works of submission. This kind of good work keeps women from being afraid with any terror...

Learn to appreciate the two hedges you have about you, and be thankful.

This excerpt has been quoted from an piece that appeared in Credenda Agenda. You can read the entire article here.

How do you deal with fear and anxiety?



Photos: elfleda & antonychammond (Flickr)

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Family Life: A Classic Craft for Kids

Bartholomew and the Oobleck

by Christy Nelson

Long ago, Dr. Seuss wrote a book called Bartholomew and the Oobleck that launched a thousand science fair projects and kept many a young child busy. My husband was the first person to tell me about Oobleck. His mom used to make it when he was younger. Then my mother in law kept telling me about it and asking me if I’ve made it for the kids. I finally gave in… and I’m glad I did.

Oobleck is basically a mixture of cornstarch and water. You can add food coloring, too. I found a lot of recipes out there but 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch to 1 cup of water worked the best for us. Mix it up and add a few drops of food coloring. You can imagine that green is a popular choice.

Cornstarch and water form this amazing substance. It acts like a liquid but if you apply pressure, like holding it tight in your hands, it forms like a solid. Throw that up in the air, and it becomes liquid again. It is an interesting substance to work with for young kids and older kids alike. School-age children might be more interested in experimenting and finding out when it acts like a liquid and when it acts like a solid. Or, if you can make it into a ball, will it bounce?

I would recommend wearing smocks or old t-shirts if you decide to make this with your kids. Also, keep a washrag handy to wipe up stray oobleck. If you can find a copy of the book, read it before you make the oobleck and talk about the story while you play.

This excerpt is quoted from FamilyEden.net, a great source of inspiration and ideas for Moms and Dads. Be sure to check it out!

Have you ever made oobleck with your kids?

Photo: amazon.com, Topeka & Shawnee (Flickr)

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Holiday: Easter 2009

Before you go to church this Easter, Visit the Empty Tomb.

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Word-Filled-Wednesday: Genesis 3:23

“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman (Ishsha), because she was taken out of Man (Ish).” (Genesis 2:23 ESV)


Visit The 160 Acre Woods and let Amydeanne and the other bloggers uplift you with their timely Word-filled posts.

Reflection: Man & Woman Defined

When Adam first laid his eyes on Eve, he broke into the exuberant, spontaneous poem above. But what do the original Hebrew words ish and ishsha really mean? Let's listen to Mary Kassian. She's an award winning author, an internationally renowned speaker, and distinguished professor of Women's Studies at Southern Baptist Seminary:

"The first man called himself ‘Ish’ and the woman ‘Ishsha.’ This appears to be an extremely clever and profound play on words. The sound of these two Hebrew words is nearly identical—Ishsha merely adds a feminine ending—but the two words have a complementary meaning. Ish comes from the root meaning ‘strength’ while Ishsha comes from the root meaning ‘soft.’

The implication becomes clearer when we observe the biblical meaning of a man’s ‘strength.’ Strength refers to a man’s manhood—his potency, virility, and procreative power (Ps. 105:36; Prov. 31:3; Gen. 49:3). By contrast, a woman’s ‘softness’ has to do with her pregnability, penetrability, and vulnerability (in a very positive sense). One commentator has suggested English equivalents of ‘Piercer’ and ‘Pierced One.’

According to Scripture, it’s woman’s softness, her ability to receive, respond, and relate—that is her greatest strength.

The bodies of male and female reflect this idea. A man’s body is built to move toward the woman. A woman’s body is built to receive the man. But the pattern goes beyond the mere physical difference between men and women to encompass the totality of their essence: The man was created to joyfully and actively initiate and give. The woman was created to joyfully and actively respond and receive. The woman is the ‘soft’ one—the receiver, responder, and relater. The man is the ‘strong’ one with greater capacity to initiate, protect and provide. Each is a perfect counterpart to the other.

The Lord created male and female as an object lesson—a parable as it were—of a profound spiritual reality: The relationship between Christ the husband and the Church, His Bride. Men are to reflect the strength, love and self-sacrifice of Christ. Women are to reflect the character, responsiveness, grace and beauty of the Bride He redeemed.

In the past few years, the Hollywood portrayal of the ideal woman is one who is aggressive and tough—both physically and sexually. This is a far cry from what woman was created to be. According to Scripture, it’s woman’s softness, her ability to receive, respond, and relate—that is her greatest strength."

This excerpt has been quoted from Mary Kassian’s article “Steel Magnolia” published on her website,
Girls Gone Wise: A Quiet Counter Revolution.

Do you think receptivity and responsiveness are strengths?

Photo: Google Images

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Welcome to Marriage Monday

Friendship in Christian Marriage

Have you read Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs? Chock-full of biblical wisdom, the author covers the topic of friendship in marriage in a way that may be surprising women. Listen to Dr. Eggerichs:

"The wife who wants to show her husband that she likes him—that she is his friend—will be patient with his strange request to ‘just come out here and be with me. Watch what I am doing, or just watch TV with me, but let’s not talk.’ When the husband calls the wife in to ‘just sit by him,’ he is working on their relationship in a significant way—not significant to her, perhaps, but extremely significant, nonetheless. This is the way a husband communicates. Males prefer shoulder-to-shoulder communication instead of face-to-face communication, and this can occur in the simplest of ways. For example, during our first year of marriage, Sarah and I were in our apartment. I was reading, and she was on the couch. She said, ‘Shouldn’t we be talking?’

I replied, ‘I’m content just being with you…’

Research studies confirm the male preference for should-to-shoulder communication with little or no talking… My observation is that men grow close by doing activities together, shoulder to shoulder. Over time, these common experiences and mutual interests result in a sense of bonding. There is little negativity and few complaints. They don’t focus on their relationship, and they rarely talk about how they feel toward each other. As they become friends, one thing is certain—each is there for the other.

Many men can recall being a ‘blood brother’ with his boyhood friend. Two drops of blood blended together symbolized the ‘forever’ bond. The commitment was to be shoulder to shoulder, fighting to the death if need be. Little girls do not enter this kind of dream world, but little boys do. They build their forts and are ready to do battle and die together. Even now, as I write this, I feel the depth of emotion that every little boy has felt about his ‘blood brothers.’

So what’s my point? One day, the little boy grows up, becomes a man, and meets a special young woman. He proposes, and they marry. In his maleness, he assumes the two of them will be together, shoulder to shoulder, just as he has been with his male friends throughout his life. His request is simple: ‘Hey, let’s go do something together.’ Early on, his wife may cooperate. She is a real friend. However, three children and one ton of laundry later, there are so many more important things to do than fly fish and hang out. Besides, when they do have time to be together, she needs to talk. To her talking is the way to connect. Being together and never talking is absurd!

In most marriages, then, there is a real difference in basic needs… Obviously, there must be some give and take at this point as there should be in so many other areas of marriage. Just as sometimes he must make the effort to be with you face to face, you must also make the effort to be with him shoulder to shoulder. When he calls you to be with him and you just do it, with little or no talking, you will see the energy flow into him."

Learn more about friendship in marriage from the male point of view by reading Love & Respect or by visiting Dr. Eggerich’s extensive website.



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Please Join Us For Today’s Topic

Now it's your turn to talk. You can approach today's topic, "Friendship in Christian Marriage" any way you want. Tell us what you two do together that fosters good feelings between you? How do you and your husband celebrate your friendship? We want to know.

Once you've posted, be sure to add your permalink to Mister Linky below. Then take a few minutes to visit the other Marriage Monday contributors, leaving your comments as you go.

The Marriage Monday Meme Will Take a Break

Originally, Christine (Fruit in Season) had the bright idea for this meme. Over the past two years, I've had the immense privilege of hosting Marriage Monday at Chrysalis. I know many blogging Moms look forward to visiting the MM contributors the first Monday of every month—even if they don't link up or leave a comment.

Last autumn, several sweet sisters volunteered to serve as guest hostesses. My special thanks go to Robyn, Andrea, Lynn, and Jennifer for doing such an spectacular job.

Changes are ahead. Summer is around the corner (yes!) and with it comes new schedules and responsibilities for Moms. I’ve decided to give Marriage Monday a little bloggy break. May, June, July and August will be off, and then we’ll start meeting again in September 2009.

I will miss reading your posts, and learning from your marriage wisdom. However, enjoy this little breather, and take the time to create some new memories with your husband. Ciao for now!

Do you enjoy Marriage Monday? What would you change? Be bold!


Photos: pilgrimgirl, (Flickr)

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Marriage Monday is Coming!

Call for Submissions

Would you like to share your experiences in marriage with other Christian women? Our community of Marriage Monday bloggers is a diverse group of joyful, Godly women. We're young, old, seasoned, and newlywed. And we’d love to hear from you! You're invited to join us for Marriage Monday on April 6, 2009.

Friendship in Christian Marriage

I'm delighted to announce that I will be your hostess at Chrysalis this coming Monday. Our topic is, "Friendship in Christian Marriage." Sharpen your pencil and tell us how you and your husband celebrate your friendship together. Scripture teaches us to phileo our husbands (Titus 2:4). This is a human brotherly kind of affection and love. For most men, phileo translates into side-by-side companionship. What do you two love to do together that fosters good feelings between you?

After you've posted your thoughts, be sure to leave your permalink in my Mister Linky. Afterward, take some time to sprinkle your comments around the Marriage Monday blogosphere.

Invite Your Bloggy Friends

Feel free to copy any part of this announcement and post it on your blog. The more participants we have, the better!

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Photo: Frayed (Flickr)

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Humor: Weight Loss Made Easy

Friday Funnies

OK, ladies, I couldn't resist passing this one on. Need more laughs? Head over to Homesteader's Heart for this week's
Friday Funnies.

Via Michelle's Morsels Beelieve.

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