Lessons from Esther

The "Esther" Girls

This past school year my Bible Study group finished "Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman" by Beth Moore.

"The whole school year? Isn't that study like 9-10 weeks?" I hear the questions coming from those die-hard Beth Moore fans.

Yes, to both of those questions.

But, I love it that we took a 9 week Bible study and turned it into a 9 month one. We broke up the weeks into months, so that we had time to finish it and watched the videos together. If you've never had the chance to do one of Beth's studies this one is really good. Any of them are great, but I really enjoyed this one.

Anyway, here are a few of the lessons that I gleamed from the life of Esther...I'll only give a few from the end of the study, otherwise, I will just be writing her study (and like I have time to do that, right? NOT!).

1. "God has my lot secure."

Esther 3:7 lets us know that a lot was cast to determine the date when all the Jews were to be annihilated; but in Esther 9:22 we see that the tables were turned..."sorrow was turned to joy and their mourning into a day of celebration."

Psalm 16:5 says, "LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure."

Just as God had the Jews' lot secure, he has mine as well. So, whatever comes my way, He will give me what is needed....He is not surprised or shocked....He has it held together. As a mother of a special needs child, this truth keeps me sane...because God not only has my lot secure, he has Matthea's lot secure as well.

2. "Beauty in God's realm is not a treatment. It is a destiny." Beth Moore

Esther 2:12 we see that they girls had to undergo a 12 month beauty cycle before they were allowed to see the king. Beauty is all about looks...not much has changed since the days of the Persians, eh? Just look at any magazine in the world. I was reminded of this fact as I sat at a beauty salon a few months ago to get my hair washed. I was given a Chinese magazine and, of course, couldn't read it. BUT, it didn't matter. I saw the beautiful, the glamorous, the knock-out bod on each magazine.

God is more worried about our character than our body. Although, he does want us to take care of our bodies properly.

Ecc. 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time." That includes you and me.

But, this got me to thinking about my other daughter who will be a fashion police in about another six months time, I'm sure. A 6 year old fashion police is a very scary thing to have in your home...trust me. Especially when fashion is NOT your strong point.

But, seriously, it made me think about what she watches and sees on TV...do the characters care too much about their looks? Do their body types look like the norm or like the super-star bods that we all desire to have? What about what she sees from me?

She IS only five...but I want her to grow up with a healthy outlook of her own body and more importantly to care about her own character....that she would desire to be like Christ.

OK, so here's a question for you....

If you've done a Beth Moore study, which was your favorite?

AND/OR

What have you learned lately from studying the Bible?

Memories in the Market

Last night a small group of us went to the Shilin Night Market to say "Good-bye" to Marcy, a dear friend that is leaving Taiwan after three years. It WAS raining, but we managed to have some fun anyway!

Standing outside the market with Erin and Marcy

Going on a weekday night is best. The crowds are not as bad, nor as overwhelming. But, don't think for a minute that the place was not hopping....because even in the rain, there were still people wandering around with drinks and snacks and doing LOTS of shopping.

We began the night off right. With. Dessert! Love not having the kids with us! ;) Uwe bargained with the lady to get a better deal. She threw in a small bag of sesame taffy candy and we each could have one soft peanut taffy like candy...but that was it. She wasn't budging. But, it made for a good entertainment watching them go back and forth for a few minutes. (But never worry, it was all laughs in the end on both sides...gotta love Asia!)

This "log" beauty is Amazing! Inside the dough-like crust is crushed peanuts,

black sesame, and SUGAR! This stand was a total sugar bomb!

So, to take the sugar rush off we followed with an onion fried bread. Of course, I didn't get a picture of this...but it is basically dough with green onion kneaded into it and then rolled out flat, then fried on a hot plate. Nice and hot!

Something we did NOT eat was the famous Shilin Oyster Omelet. These slimy things are cooked all around the market. If you like oysters, you probably would like it, but if you don't...well, then probably not.

These three Oyster Omelets had lettuce scattered on top. After this,

they would add a red sauce, which I'm not sure what it was since we did NOT eat any!

Back to what we did do.....after we finished the onion flat bread, we got the best drink there. Mango slushy....let me be clear...fresh mango slushy! Ahh, they are good no matter the weather! This did not make the Top 5 List, but would have made the Top 10 for sure!

Shilin Market is not just a food market...it does have shops and games. We meandered around the arcade part....Uwe played a game to test his skills from his military days. And won us each a balloon horn; that when you blow up the balloon and let go the horn goes off.

He only posed with this game....this market is best described

as a county fair without the livestock and large rides!

We shopped a little and bought some odd and end things at a cheap store with lots of random things...from toys to ties to masks to tools to clothes to whatever you need. From there we finally ate some supper at Alibaba's! Great little Indian stand...

The guy would flip the bread like a pizza crust then cook it on the round topped oven.

I got the Garlic Chicken and Uwe got the Curry Chicken.

That ended our night on the town with Marcy. Last day of school is tomorrow with more good-byes at the last school chapel to staff leaving. Better remember to bring my tissues as it won't be the laughs like we had this night...

Thanks for some great memories, Marcy!

First Tastes of Summer: My Top 5

Summer is here and with it all the great treats. Here is my list of top Summer Treats:

1.Mango Bing

(shaved ice, fresh cut mangoes with condensed milk heavily drizzled over it.)

Yum! Yum!

2. Passion Fruit Green Bubble Tea

(So refreshing on a hot day!)

3. Mango

(This is my favorite fruit!)

4. Yellow Watermelon

(Yes, it really is yellow and I like it better than the red.)

5. Corn-on-the-cob

(This has to be my favorite this year as, well the picture tells all!)

Matthea's first bite of corn-on-the-cob EVER! It was a huge hit! We actually had to take it away because her bites were too big and too often. Oh, the thought of that feeding tube being gone for good is coming to a reality! Still praying that she doesn't aspirate and is pneumonia free until October! Then it is good-bye to that Mic-Key G-tube!

Finally.....

Ok, I finally finished a Jane Austin book. I say finished because I started one and seriously thought, "This woman is highly over-rated!" I think I only got into 3 chapters and decided to just quit. Do I dare write the title?

Why not, just please don't throw tomatoes at me through our screen (that would be an awful mess)....anyway, it was...."Emma".

What was it about the book I didn't like? I just couldn't get into the language and the descriptions....guess I'm a die-hard MG/YA reader with lots of good plot and not so much description. Also, Emma was just one of those characters I wanted to smack in the face. Lately, I've been wondering if she is one of those characters that after about chapter 20 you begin to like. Kind of like the TV show "The Office" (US version)....Michael Scott was like that. He really annoyed the pants off of me for about the first 10 episodes (and that includes the first season of what 4 episodes or so?). But, then it was strange...I remember watching an episode and thinking...."Awww, poor Michael!" and then thinking, "Poor Michael? What?" But, it happened, I liked him and all his crazy screw ups as a boss." Hmm, should I give "Emma" another chance? Or should I just watch the movie? I'll have to think on that one....

So, why DID I pick up another Jane Austin?

1. We ARE going to Bath, UK for a few weeks this summer AND I just couldn't go there without reading something of hers.

and

2. My good friend and die-hard Jane Austin fan suggested "Pride and Prejudice".

OK, much better. At least I could relate to Lizzy....I actually couldn't put the book down at points in the story. Hard to believe after my "review" of "Emma", huh? But, it is true. Cross my heart and all that.

(Have I redeemed myself for all you Jane Fans? Especially you Ginann?)

So, now what? Start "Emma" again? Pick up another book by Jane? Probably, NOT. I need to be reading books in my writing genre, so maybe at a latter point in time. But, I am headed over to my friend's apartment, the Jane Fan, to check out her Jane Austin DVD library to get more of a feel of this author before our trip in about a month. I don't want to look like a total American idiot walking through her Centre clueless of everything...

So, what is your favorite Jane Austin book and why?

Or for those like me....what book of Jane's have you read and why you didn't like it?

What is Your Assignment?

This weekend I was reminded/challenged by a speaker. He spoke on Matt. 25:14-30 and brought out some interesting/thought provoking questions. (especially, to me as a mom)

He brought to my attention the wording of v.14.... (the master) "entrusted his property to them (servants). This property was then given "each according to his ability" (v.15).

As a Christian you can probably see that the "Master" is God and the "servant" is us, his people, his workers. In this parable the servants were given something because of their ability. The "talent" wasn't a gift, it was a something that he wanted the servants to take care of....an assignment.

The application for me:

1. What has God entrusted to me? What is my assignment?

My answer is my husband and my kids...those are my two biggest ones. There could be more depending on "my ability".

Reactions: I sometimes struggle with this "assignment" I was given. Mom. I get tired of picking up clothes, fixing meals, wiping noses, wiping bottoms, etc. Don't judge me yet...I LOVE my kiddos. They also bring me the most joy with hugs, kisses, flowers, smiles and jokes. They are all just the best. But, I just sometimes miss my "old" life. Teaching, writing, feeling like I have a purpose. Today is one of those days...the "To Do" List...forever long, never-ending list of jobs that I must do.

This leads to the next applications:

2. I should be a good care-taker of the object of value to Him. How often do I complain or whine about it....take for granted....sigh as yet another drawer is emptied out, water is spilled, and toys strung all over the "just picked-up" apartment.

Reaction: Pooh! On! YOU! OK, that is honestly my first reaction....but, I can't stay there, not if I really want to love my LORD and obey HIS word. So, like a child myself, I apologize (again) and begin to look at the assignment with His eyes. He's given me a wonderful husband whom I need to show love and encouragement daily to. He's given me three great kids for this time in my life... I need to enjoy and love them. And out of those three, he's given me a special needs child...I need to recognize that I can't do it on my own and rely on HIS strength for each day; HIS peace for each day; and HIS love for each day....and remember that I am teaching now (home school Matthea); I do have time in the week to write (when I don't waste time on FB, Blogging, or whatever else I fancy to do); and I need to remember that my purpose in life is not being accomplished, published, or recognized....but to love God and love others...to be the good care-taker of the object(s) of value to God that he has entrusted to me.

Do I have it altogether? Absolutely NOT! In fact, in about one minute after I publish this post I am sure I will be saying "Seriously?" because....well....it's a process that I'm going through right now.

So, what is your "assignment"?

* btw, the speaker just happened to be my husband....i love him!

Plan B part 2

I couldn't call this Plan C because we are still doing Plan B, just an extension. If you want to read about it read here.

This plan I believe is going to be great! Why? What is it? I hear ya...

It is simply a card system. I used a variation of it when I was teaching G5 (back during my Tianjin days). We have 3 cards.

Green = Good (and if it is on green the next morning, she gets a sticker)

Yellow = 5 min. in the corner

Orange = spanking (ok, I know there are going to be parents out there that are going to throw a fit, but seriously, a under-controlled swat is not bad....it's the ones done out of rage, which I am against as well.)

She gets a warning before the card change....this has helped her make the right choice on her own.

Our rules are simple:

1. Obey what we tell you to do. OR Choose to do the right thing.

2. No back talking. OR Say "Yes, Mama/Papa"

3. No lying. OR Tell the truth.

**note that if she is not on green but makes 2 right choices, then she gets to move back up one card....so if she is on orange, she has to make 4 right choices total. That way we reward her for good behavior/choices.

So, after 10 stickers she gets a date with me. We are on sticker 3 after a week, but yesterday and today has been really good. She is really excited about that date with mom.....and so am I. I'm thinking of making it a milkshake date this time.

Plan B

The last few days have been rough between me and my five year old daughter. I'm not sure all the reasons. We are VERY different.

She LOVES the color pink, I'm not a fan.

She LIKES jewelry, I forget to wear it.

She LIKES cats, I like dogs.

She's a girlie girl, and I'm, well, not.

But, just being different isn't the reason, well not the main one. She has been having trouble obeying...specifically telling the truth. We have dealt with this issue a few times and I seriously thought she figured out that telling the truth was so much better than sipping vinegar. Guess she's forgotten.

So, Plan B

Mother/Daughter Dates.

This morning we had our first....just the two of us. It wasn't anything spectacular or grand. It was breakfast at 7-11. Yes, you read right 7-11...

We sat outside under the umbrella tables. She with her chocolate covered doughnut and strawberry yogurt. Me with my "xiao bing" (Chinese pastry) and latte.

We talked about school and her friends.

She daydreamed about a princess and prince marrying....which she told me was me and Uwe (ok, that was cute).

Today was better....really good. Maybe she is just getting to that age where she needs special time with her mom. She is the youngest and her sister has special needs, which requires more attention. So, I think that we will be having Mother/Daughter Dates more often. Maybe once a month...time where we just get to hang out and talk. I'm sure as she gets older I will come to really appreciate these times together....just the two of us.

For those of you who are mothers to daughters....do you do anything like this? For those of you that are daughters.....did you have times like this with your mom?