Journeying on in Faith
While at the North Carolina Regional Qualifying Tournament with Michael we past the 4 year anniversary of taking to the road. Each of us (human beings) are on the pilgrim highway whether we live in the same place all of our lives or live all over. Our zip code has changed 10 times but our area code has stayed the same thanks to cell phones. The people we have met along the way so far have enriched our lives.
The road looks differently than we expected it to look. We have seen much of Interstate 95 on the eastern seaboard of the US and we have seen even more of I-75 especially between Gainesville FL and Naples FL than we could have imagined. In fact, one of my children said we are pretty much Florenglanders (that would be a cross between Floridian and New Englander). It has been a blessing to be adopted by so many in the Sunshine State. One of the first friends we made in SW Florida (the McGuire clan) stopped by here on their way home from the panhandle this weekend. These dear brothers and sisters in Christ, indeed made us feel like family in Ft. Myers, FL. Many who read this on a regular or irregular basis have made us feel at home here as well.
No matter where we go, the Spirit of the Lord is alive and well. God's family is dynamic, rich and alive in spite of what might be called the watered down feel good American gospel. We can say with Paul, "whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed and in this I will rejoice." Ours is to rejoice!!!
Initially, we set out with a two-fold purpose. First, to solidify the relationships in our family and second, to see as much of the country with our children while they were still with us. With deep gratitude I can say, the first purpose is being accomplished. The second has been directed differently and we would not change a thing. Mullaneys make their plans but the Lord orders our steps.
Now, we face the crossroads as we prepare to launch the first arrow from our quiver. Grace will be going on tour as a CFC (Communicators for Christ) intern. Yes, it is for a set amount of time but just like we have no idea where we as a family will be living come the end of June. We do not know what Grace will be doing come the end of her tour season. We have some ideas but like everyone else in the US there are only 2 sure bets: death and taxes. It is time to seek God's face and we are looking for His lead once again. Throughout our pilgrimage we have looked to the Lord and His will and each time he has ordered our steps. He is faithful and trustworthy. God our Heavenly Father will guide us and guard us along the way.
Pax Vobiscum,
CM

Prisons for those who have committed no crime
right here in Florida
This past summer I started joking around with my young adults who have always been educated at home when passing by a public school that it was a prison for children. The joke took on new meaning when I started slowing down through the "prison" zone once school started. The 3 of them started to say, Mum (with the tone that says OK, we get it, the joke is getting old). Well, listening to the news this morning NPR billed the story with this tag, "Students in Marion County will think twice before skipping school." They went on to tell about the new GPS system that they will be using on students who go to school on the bus through their student ID cards. Can anyone say "House arrest?" or should I say bus arrest? Seems as if my joke is becoming a reality for students in Marion County Florida.
Read below:

OCALA - A new global positioning satellite system will soon be added to 51 school buses as part of a three-month pilot program to track students and buses and determine other transportation needs in the county.

"The main reason for this is student safety," said Tommy Crosby, Marion County Public Schools' executive director of student services.
The School Board voted Monday night for the new pilot system, which will cost about $50,000 during the trial period.
District spokesman Kevin Christian said the buses would be equipped with student identification card sensors.

When they get on the bus, the sensor will detect the student card, whether it's in a backpack, on a chain or in their pocket, Crosby said.

"If a parent called in and said their child did not get off the bus, we can immediately call up the information," Crosby said.

He added the data will show whether the child got on the bus and where and when they got off.

Among an estimated 400 district buses, 51 will be fitted with the devices, Crosby said. He said routes will be chosen in all four quadrants of the county.

School officials like the concept behind the student tracking system.
To read the rest of the article . . .

Safety is the value trump card that these officials are trying to play. It will be interesting to see if any of these students will do some real homework on the constitution and be able to give sound arguments for why the public school system is their to serve the community not control it. If they really do a good job on their homework they will see that public education ought not to be compulsory but voluntary.
Big Brother is 23 years late. The last part of the article that I gave was "School officials like the concept behind the student tracking system." These officials don't want to educate students but control them. This is not safety, this is part-time imprisonment and they make you pay for your hot lunch. There are still students who graduate either without being able to read or reading at a fourth grade level.
Compulsory attendance was not enough for me to really call these places a prison but I think that GPS tracking system, the same kind used for prisoners under house arrest gives me another leg to stand on.
PAX, CM

Disarmed
Five young men asked to empty their pockets,they had been brought in to the downtown police station and they had been accused of committing a horrible crime - willingly all five co-operate. The policeman asks each for some identification. Four wallets pulled from 4 back pockets, the 5th pulls a worn New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. His license stuck in between Luke and John, a few bucks tucked into Proverbs, a picture of his family in 1st Corinthians 12.
"What no wallet?" the officer inquires.
"No need sir."
The officer picks it up pulls the license out, the family picture flutters to the table and the 1 dollar bills to the floor - no one moves, you could hear a pin drop - the sister, the victim stares up at the officer and the tears stream down his face and he looks at Jesse who is also crying along with the other tender hearted young men.
"Sir, we too want this crime solved. My sister would have wanted us to forgive but I find myself enraged wanting to seek revenge," picking up the New Testament Jesse continues, "this was her New Testament and this is what I keep going back to," he opens to Romans 12, "may I read something to you?"
The officer nods his head because he can not find his voice,
"From Romans 12, Let love be without hypocrisy Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;not lagging behind in diligence,fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written,

"VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.
BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM,
AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK;
FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Reading with power, confidence and grace 5 men, one old enough to be the father of the rest, find themselves on their knees crying out to God for mercy.

by Catherine Mullaney

To Whom it May Concern:
Who were the New Testament books written to? an intended audience? The gospels are the Good News accounts and I do believe that they did have intended audiences. The Epistles, however are clearly addressed to the intended audience. How does this affect us? Should it? Does it matter? Why should I care?
First, there are plenty of people who want to ignore certain words but want to embrace others that are found within the New Testament portion of the Bible. I don't think that the Bible was meant to be a cafeteria menu, that is, take what you like and leave the rest. It really is an all or nothing type of book. Otherwise, dichotomies are classified as strict contradictions and principles are used for hidden agendas.
Lately, I have been in a place where my Sword (which is a word I like to use for my personal Bible) is being sharpened. Questions are beginning to surface again and I am grappling with what is God trying to show me and teach me. It is both a scary and exciting place to be. With the question, who were these NT letters written to, I did the most logical thing and went through the books: Romans to Revelation.
Here are just some of the ones I really liked
Romans 1;7
"to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints:"
Ephesians 1;1
"To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:"
Colossians 1;2
To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae
2Timothy 1;2
To Timothy, my beloved son
Titus 1; 4
"To Titus, my true child in a common faith:"
Philemon 2
"To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister,
and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:"
2John 1
"to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth"
Jude 1
"To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:"
For years I cried, "context" you need to read that in "context." How near sighted of me to overlook this simple truth of the intent of the Author! The Lord indeed wrote a love letter to His children not to the world. The Word keeps traveling, the Lord keep sending out His Beloved with the Word by the power of His Spirit reaching the four corners of the earth. Not one who has been called will be lost, the Father will leave the 99 to find the one lost sheep and for His good pleasure He uses His own children to enter into the "labor" rooms and "birthing" centers to welcome in babes born again into the family of God.

How does this affect me? Since, I count myself as one of God's children, I am delighted and identify with the "beloved," the "faithful," the "chosen," and the "called." Yes, the letters were written to specific brothers and sisters in Christ and like love letters found in your grandmother's attic, they are part of our spiritual heritage. We can call them our own because we too are heirs with Christ! In Timothy, Paul says that ALL scripture is God breathed. The words are powerful and effective. For me to know what is written is good but to know to whom and why is giving me an even deeper understanding. Solomon warns me about the price for this knowledge - increasing pain according to the book of Ecclesiastes.

I don't believe the Bible was written, "To Whom it may concern." It is my hope that anyone who reads this would think about who is God's intended audience.
Pax,
CM

"I am not dead yet, I think I'll go for a walk"



Dark Moon by Alton Gansky
I just finished reading this book (2/11/07). It was really entertaining.

Who did the raising? from Mr. Gansky's new book 40 days chapter 19 Jesus appearing to many after being raised from the dead.

I have been thinking a lot about the MAC (Modern American Churches). Some say that at the end of the 20th century we were launched into the microwave age, our society wanting instant gratification at every turn and that this is no different in our spiritual lives. A number of us don't want to put the effort in to hearing a message and then go and search the scriptures to see if what this person is saying is true. Does it all line up? Yes, the preacher is preaching from the Bible but the scripture references are few. Are we willing to go and first read it in context? then expand the search a little wider?

I have been reading and thinking a lot about the question "How is one saved and by whom?" I was just reading about AG's new book 40 days and the title of chapter 19 sent me flying over to my blog: "Who did the raising?" My educated guess is that this chapter will be about God the Father raising Jesus from the dead and immediately my next thought was: if we are all spiritually dead before coming alive in Christ, then who raised us from the dead?

The first thing we need to establish is whether or not we believe that we are actually "dead in our transgressions" or not. (1st Corinthians 15, Ephesians 2;1&5, Colossians 2;13, ) If you do not believe that prior to being born again you were dead then I strongly suggest that you stop reading NOW. The rest of this post does not apply to you.
The wrestling that I have done over the last year or so concerning this subject has been nothing short of grueling. The match is far from over and the count down on the mat will not happen until I reach the Celestial Arena. Nevertheless, I do concede that I was dead and that I was utterly helpless and hopeless prior to being born again.

Have you ever watched on a movie or TV or perhaps in person when "the body is exhumed"? The dead person does not raise their hand and say "help me up," does he? (unless of course it is one of those horror movies. For this example let's think, crime investigation) The dead body is total and utterly passive and he can do NOthing. So it is with those who are spiritual dead. The Lord must raise us up and give us new life through the regeneration of our spirit (Titus 3).
I can not take any credit for being in Christ. It is the working of the Holy Spirit in my life that has made me alive in Christ.
Some say, well what about all those exhortations that Paul wrote to those of us who believe, like "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" often those who believe you can lose your salvation or better yet believe that you have a part in saving yourself (IE responding to the gospel) fail to read on in that particular verse (of course the whole thing should be read in context). The rest of the verse says, "for it is GOD who is at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2) My understanding is that we are working out what God has already worked into the fabric of our new nature.
Do we stand by do nothing or whatever we want? If we answer yes, then I question whether God has worked anything into us. For those who answer NO not if I can help it. We press on with the saints who have gone before us and as Paul says further on in Philippians, "I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus."
The more I read, pray and think over the issue, the answer to the question, "Who did the raising (of the spiritually dead) ?" becomes clearer to me.

Forgiveness
So many of us need it. I know I do. As a very small child I learned what we called the Our Father ( Ah Fathah) and lots of people call it the Lord's Prayer, as indeed it is, the disciples asked and so he taught, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." It is a funny thing with Christians. When I say that I am sorry, I was wrong for opening my mouth and putting my foot in it. The response is often, "that's ok." Well, no, it is not ok. When I am saying I am truly sorry, I am asking for forgiveness. It leaves me to wonder, do these brothers and sisters in Christ forgive me or do they reserve the right to hold it against me?
Because I did not grow up learning about the exchange of confession of sin and a loving response through forgiveness, Dan and I set out to help our children in this area. When you do wrong to your brother or sister, you don't just say, "sorry" with a pouty face, instead you say, "I am sorry I hit you with my teddy bear." We had them name their sin and then the response was, "I forgive you." Once when the girls were very small, Grace told Katie that she had to forgive her or God wasn't going to forgive Katie for 2 weeks. We still laugh about that one.
So, it puzzles me. I fall short and find myself sinning against the ones I love and I make myself vulnerable, name my sin and apologize but the ones who are called ministers of reconciliation don't verbally forgive me and are content with a trite "that's ok." (IT IS NOT OK) It doesn't console me that my side of the street is clean. I decided that I needed to look up some scriptures concerning this issue,

Matthew 6
14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Mark 11

25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."^[a]

Luke 6
37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

I don't want my beloved left in an unforgiven state any more than I want to be left there. Going over this post with one of my children, I realized that for someone to say, "I forgive you." is admitting that my sin hurt you and that is a vulnerable place to be. The thing is, that when someone is willing to complete this relational exchange by being that vulnerable it makes the friendship stronger and the love deeper.

This post is dedicated to my dear friend CK.

My piece of the Cross
A young woman at the age of 21(we will call her Cathy) who for 18 months had events in her life that were not of her own choosing and she knew it, she could not deny it but she did not want to acknowledge that it was the work of Another on her behalf. She found herself in a spiritual pond swimming but never getting anywhere and the water was drying up. The mud sucked her feet to the ground and she found herself upon her knees, her best efforts could not keep her from falling and then not by power or might but by the Spirit she was lifted up and delivered to solid ground.
Prior to this happening, Cathy engaged in arguments that went something like this,
"you walked to the doctor" Cathy said, and her friend responded, "but God gave me my legs to take me there."
"But you decided to go" Cathy refuted and continued with, "it was your decision to seek help."
"It was God's grace that enabled me." stated her friend.
"You have to take some credit." Cathy pleaded.
"I'd rather not. God is the One who gets the credit in my book."

Determined, self-sufficient and grateful to be alive, I thought that I deserved some credit and when Jesus Christ invaded my heart when I had just come of age, I wanted a piece of the cross too. Couldn't I just etched my initials down at the bottom, no one will notice, it won't take away what Jesus did on the cross for my sin. I didn't realize that Jesus with His own blood had written my name in the Lamb's book of Life before one drop was shed on the cross. How could this be? I'm not making sense. The blood can not be used to write unless it is first spilt. In our human purely physical world that would be true but in God's kingdom, He being God, can do as He wishes. The gospel is not a menu or a newspaper, (give me the sports section, who cares who the Romans put to death today). It is the good news that Jesus came as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, to set free the captives, bring about a holy people for His Father's Glory. Jesus is The Way to Eternal Life. Are you dead in your sins and trespasses? There is only One is raises the dead.

I started out writing this blog to make a link to Monergism with the thought that either God's grace completely saves us or that we had something to do with it. That is what made me immediately think, I want my name in the credits when the story of my life ends or more simply I want my piece of the cross. Realizing that my life is now hid with Christ and I want Him to get all the glory for all that can be called good in my life.

BOOKS

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention."

Sir Francis Bacon
English author, courtier, & philosopher (1561 - 1626)

This is one of my favorite quotes about the reading of books. It is quite possible that we could get most of our belongings into one of our vehicle if we had no books. I don't know exactly how many books we have with us but I think I would be safe in saying more than a third of our boxes when everything is packed are books. (part of my problem is I continue to accumulate but rarely discard - books.)

We do not own an XBox?# or ipods (I think that is simply a yet in this family of music enthusiasts) or one thousand movies but we own a number of books. I am not saying owning the other things are wrong or evil - things are not evil in and of themselves.

Our Lord was the Word made flesh, God spoke the world into existence with a word. A love of words is not unusual for beings made in the image of God who was the Word, with the Word . . .and that this one book, the Bible which has survived down through the ages. Perhaps not in its purest form but never the less delivering the truth and being made known to the peoples of the world. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and it is one of my favorite books. Am I blessed with more than one copy? Yes. I can't seem to part with my duct tape bible that I have had for almost 20 years now. It holds part of the history of my personal spiritual journey. In the book of Acts in chapter 14 there is a place where my pen exploded in a young marrieds sunday school class. In that particular class, I grew a lot. It was one of the hardest and best lessons of all.

Currently reading, a book by my daughter Grace wrote during Nanowrimo called "Life." It is excellent.
Also reading:

"forcing tactics can only do damage, perhaps incalculable damage, to men's souls . . . Evangelism must rather be conceived as a long-term enterprise of patient teaching and instruction, in which God's servants seek simply to be faithful in delivering the gospel message and applying it to human lives, and leave it to God's Spirit to draw men to faith through this message in his own way and at his own speed"( A Quest For Godliness , 164).

--JI Packer

- J.I. PACKER

"At the center of every culture is a cultus, a form of worship. Suffice it to say that the Great Commission requires us to disciple, baptize, and teach obedience to all the ethnoi, all the nations of men. This means that robust evangelism cannot be done without challenging the gods of the system. While we must not despise the day of small beginnings, and must labor faithfully in the little things, we must not be distracted from the ultimate mission and goal, getting diverted into picking off the devil's stragglers, and going off with them to build an isolated evangelical ghetto. Evangelism is combat between the gods, that is, between the living and triune God of the Bible and the idols of the age. Evangelism is therefore religious war at the highest level."

--Douglas Wilson

“If sinners be dammed, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one GO there UNWARNED and UNPRAYED for.”
--C. H. Spurgeon

The basis of missionary appeals is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the heathen. We are apt to look upon Our Lord as One Who assists us in our enterprises for God. Our Lord puts Himself as the absolute sovereign supreme Lord over His disciples. He does not say the heathen will be lost if we do not go; He simply says - "Go ye therefore and teach all nations." Go on the revelation of My sovereignty; teach and preach out of a living experience of Me.
--Oswald Chambers

"The poor quality of Christian that grows out of our modern evangelistic meeting may be accounted for by the absence of real repentance accompanying the initial spiritual experience of the converts. And the absence of repentance is the result of an inadequate view of sin and sinfulness held by those who present themselves in the inquiry room. " (A. W. Tozer)

"Somebody said once that evangelism, true evangelism, is only this—one beggar telling another beggar how to find bread. There’s nothing that should make me boastful about my faith. I recognize that my faith is a result of the grace of God. And so we must understand that when we’re talking to people, we’re called to be gracious and kind. The fruit of the Spirit that the New Testament calls us to exhibit includes gentleness, meekness, patience, and love. That’s the spirit in which we are called to communicate to people. "

--R.C. Sproul

Those are the thoughts of some men who have (or had) made preaching the gospel their lifework. I would contend that Christians are expected to share their faith, preach the gospel: evangelize. Like I said in one of my previous posts, the results are in God's hands. It is more about planting and watering seeds and leaving the growth up to God; that is his business (my paraphrase of 1st Corinthians 3).

We don't want to water down the gospel (IE leave out that part about sin). The truth is to be spoken in love. One of the hardest truths to swallow is wanting all the people to be saved, and facing the reality that not all will be. Get to know your audience and speak their language so that they can understand what you are getting at is also important for us to do. Just because we know that the gospel is offense to some does not mean that we are to be offensive in presenting it.

2Corinthians 2;15 & 16

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life."

The Apostles' Creed

---

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried;

he descended into hell;

the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;

the holy catholic Church;

the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body;

and the life everlasting. AMEN.

Walking through a mind field
Do you ever feel like you spend your day walking through a mind field and you just keep setting off bombs and getting blown off course? That is exactly how I felt today. Just when I thought I was back on course, I set off another bomb. We live in a fallen world, an imperfect world. This use to be a real problem.
Today, there is something that I have to accept - forgiveness. When I react wrongly to the "bombs" I need to admit that I have sinned and that I am in need of forgiveness. No this is not a new lesson. One that I just seem to need to keep learning again and again. It was only bomb number 2 that my daughter said to me, "now you said you were sorry and we forgave you, now let it go." If I am not mistaken, those were my words to her when she was quite a bit younger. WOW, do these words come back to you via your young adults??
I have survived the day and I am going to retire knowing that the Lord will continue to lead and guide me through tomorrow.

Decaffeinated Truth
Yesterday I wrote:
"Since the church is being used as the tool of evangelism, the truth of the gospel and the truth of God's Word has been watered down and Evangelism has been reduced to a sales' pitch."

What is the truth of the gospel?
1Corinthians 1;18 "For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
Paul continues:
21"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached tosave those who believe.22For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;23but we preach Christ crucified,to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
Basically, it is crazy, the Message (a paraphrase) calls it "sheer silliness." I would say that biblically, the gospel is that Jesus Christ was crucified, died, buried and was resurrected. Finishing the work of Redemption for the salvation of His people.
However, the "Jesus loves you and He wants to make your life a blessing and you will receive many blessings if you just put your faith and trust in Him" (you will get what you want) message is at best a half truth. It is the decaffeinated gospel.
We want the whole truth (we being those of us who have been adopted by God the Father). Paul says we preached Christ crucified. Many say that love was the motivating factor of Christ being crucified and dying for the sins of the world. But Jesus had a different motivation: In John 12 Jesus said, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." John 17, "Father the hour has come, glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You" The more I read through the gospels the more I see that the primary motivator was for God's glory. How would He glorify His Father? By paying the penalty of our sins, providing New Life for those who were dead in their transgressions, by being the first to be born from the dead.
This does not take away from the Love of Christ. He even says that "greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15;13 When asked what is the greatest commandment? How did Jesus answer?
"You shall Love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22;37-39
One of the sales pitches I have heard is "if you were the only person on earth, Jesus would have died for you. He loves you that much." I don't think that we can find anything in the Bible lines us with that thought. If you can please let me know. This me focused message is not sustaining or life giving.

What do we need with the gospel anyway? There is a need. Man is sinful in his core. There is no way for man to rescue himself from sin and death. First we need to believe that we are dead spiritual. Ephesians 2 says it perfectly especially verses 4 & 5 "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved.)" We are doomed we'll never make it without the power of God.
In most of the modern American Evangelical Churches (MAEC) you don't hear that. I would say on balance MAEC say look at the gifts, blessings, benefits that Christ has to offer you. Your life will turn around 180%, all you have to do is accept Christ and you will be on your way. It is a self-centered, selfish decaf. gospel. Everyone wants to "be blessed" but not everyone wants the Blesser. Romans 3 says, "there is none who seeks for God"

So where is the hope? For those who believe our hope is in God and that He is the keeper of His promises.

*Disclaimer about the book: I have not read this book but I was going for the caffeine look ;-)

Evangelism does NOT equal salesmanship


Evangelism does NOT equal salesmanship. Let me say that again, Evangelism does NOT equal salesmanship. We don't need to beg and plead for someone to come to Christ (and that is what this guy is doing in a video I watched online today). The Lord said, when I am lifted up I will draw all men to Myself. We are to lift Him up! Preach the gospel! The good news is that we were dead in our transgression on the fast train to hell but then CHRIST came to bring good news to the afflicted, to proclaim liberty to captives, to bind up the brokenhearted. To demonstrate the mercy and loving kindness of God.
Today in the van we talked about what is the purpose of the church (the visible church). What we observe in the American church at large is that the church is the tool of evangelism instead of a fellowship of like minded believers where we can sharpen our tools, gain strength from one another, encouragement and healing for those of us who already call God their Father. Then we are sent out to GO and preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Since the church is being used as the tool of evangelism, the truth of the gospel and the truth of God's Word has been watered down and Evangelism has been reduced to a sales' pitch. "Imagine God loves you so much that He sent His own Son to die for you, it is as if God is getting down on one knee and asking you to accept Him and all you have to say is I do." This is a close paraphrase. Isn't this man reducing God to the ways of man? Remember what Jesus reminded Nicodemus just as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
Let's not reduce the Creator of the Universe down to a man size God. Who wants to love, serve, honor and glorify someone like that? Not me. He is a Mighty God, fully just and fully loving, our Abba Father (daddy), Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Redeemer.
At this point are you wanting the link to the website. Before I do give that to you, I do want to say that I agree with quite a bit of it. It was the sales pitch that turned me off. The site www.juststopandthink.com

I will clearly admit that a lot of evangelists are charismatic and persuasive and for the most part I believe the Lord uses those abilities to preach the gospel but again it is the Holy Spirit who does the Work and brings about the results. It is not the salesman (excuse me) the evangelist closing the deal (getting a response via the alter call). The alter call I believe is also used by the Lord. The Lord uses His children to call His other children to Himself. I believe that we are or have the ability to be in the delivery room and get to help in the birthing process of someone being born again. It is an exciting place to be, an honor.
Tomorrow I will continue these thoughts on evangelism.
PAX, CM

No more babies
Tomorrow my youngest child will turn 14. It is really hitting me today. My oldest is taking steps to her next adventure that may mean leaving home soon. Our three children are very close in age 17,15,and 14 and I am so blessed. No there is nothing new under the sun. Babies are born, become toddlers, children and at present teenagers or young adults, soon to be adults.
A while ago I had a conversation with a friend of mine who does not believe that your adult children can become your friends. I totally 100% disagree with that sentiment. I am looking forward to being great friends with our young people. Those friendships are already beginning to blossom with our oldest and the other 2 are not far behind. Investing in these relationships I believe is going to be very rewarding.

Happy Birthday Michael!

Do any of you ever watch This Old House? I was getting ready for bed Thursday night when one of my children knocked on the door and announce, "Mom, Dad is watching TOH!" I didn't responded but quickly hurried up and made my way to the living room (which is just outside my bedroom door) praying that he was actually watching and not about to change the channel. Dan was watching!! Yay!! www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/
If you know anything about TOH, you know that it is produced and most of the time shot in the greater Boston area. The guys on the show, Norm, Tom, Richard and Roger, they make me feel at home. I can close my eyes and still get the feeling. I would say by fah(far) Rogah (Roger) has the best Boston accent. Tom would run a close second.
The projects are awesome and on ocassion, I will think "nice neighborhood" or "someday, perhaps a place like that" but for the most paht watching the show just reminds me of where I come from and it makes me wahm all ovah.
Pax,
CM

Quiet
Did you know that the Mullaneys actually do math and science? We don't spend all our time writing, reading, researching, speaking and debating. It has been an interesting week. My children are back into some other studies while still keeping up with their forensics. So our home has been fairly quiet with each of them off on their own being self-educated. Isn't that what home education is all about - developing life long learners? We certainly think so ;-)

On the other hand, our trip to the library yesterday was anything but quiet. There were these girls who had the giggles, you know the kind where you know that you should stop (they were in the library after all) but just can't. Then there were the unusual announcements about the surveillance system and how whoever is making the prank 911 calls from the pay phone better cut it out because the police will have the opportunity to review the tapes. Then the log in for the Internet was down and they were working on bringing it back up. As we related this story to Dan this evening Michael remarked, "The Millhopper library is not a very quiet one."

Making a house a home
Yesterday, I had a very interesting conversation with my daughter, Grace. She wanted to talked to me about what it takes to be a full time homemaker. Let me say this, she is well on her way in knowing how to run a household. She has missed out on taking care of little ones although she did a bit of that before we left Massachusetts. Our discussion contained not only the practical but also the philosophy and flavor of homemaking.
In some ways, it was hard to be open and vulnerable even though we have always been that way with our children. I guess because the first things that came to my mind were the places where I fall short.
See our home is not so much in the physical place where we live but the way we live together wherever that may be. Our hearts are knit together, we love one another, forgive each other and we are pulling for one another. We laugh and cry together. Living by faith is not just a spiritual saying but we are actually living by faith. One of our loves is the written word. Some would say, "with all those library cards what are you doing packing all those books and lugging them everywhere?" A number of our books are treasures. We had read books together or one of us reads a book and then we pass it around the family. This is probably an aspect of homemaking that might not come to your mind but when I pack or unpack books it touches a place in my heart and my family is right there with me.

The legacy we leave will not be what kind of car we drove, what kind of houses (or apartments) we lived in, which cell phone service or Internet provider we used. It will be about the memories, stories and love we shared. It will be the type character we ourselves possessed and helped to cultivate in our kids. It will be whether we served others or expected others to serve us or whether all our striving was for God's glory or to make a name for ourselves. Home is where the heart is and when our hearts are in the Hands of the King, our nests down here large or small are just little campsites on the way to the Celestial City, our Eternal home.
Pax,
CM

Sometimes you have to let someone else say the words.
What if I stumble by DC Talk
"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today
Is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips
Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

Is this one for the people? Is this one for the Lord?
Or do I simply serenade for things I must afford?
You can jumble them together, my conflict still remains
Holiness is calling, in the midst of courting fame
Cause I see the trust in their eyes
Though the sky is falling
They need Your love in their lives
Compromise is calling

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You never turn in the heat of it all
What if I stumble, what if I fall?

Father please forgive me for I can not compose
The fear that lives within me
Or the rate at which it grows
If struggle has a purpose on the narrow road you've carved
Why do I dread my trespasses will leave a deadly scar
Do they see the fear in my eyes? Are they so revealing?
This time I cannot disguise all the doubt I'm feeling


What if I stumble, what if I fall?
What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble?
Everyone's got to crawl when you know that
You're up against a wall, it's about to fall
Everyone's got to crawl when you know that

I hear You whispering my name [You say]
"My love for You will never change" [never change]

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You never turn in the heat of it all
What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You are my comfort, and my God

Is this one for the people, is this one for the Lord?

Listening
One of the hardest lessons that I am learning is also one of the greatest arts in this life especially when it comes to personal relationships - listening. I am going to guess that a characteristic of a great conversationalist is the ability to listen and really hear another person out. It is my desire to be a better listener and to continue to improve this skill throughout the rest of my days.
Yesterday, my daughter asked me, "Don't you want to always be growing?" and I said, "yes, to the end of my days."
Really, it is my prayer and my heart's desire to remain teachable. I believe a key element to being teachable is the ability to listen to others, to learn from them and hear what message is being communicated.
There is a second type of listening and that is listening to God. The most basic way to do that is through the Word of God - to read my bible. I believe there are other ways: through people, through nature and in the midst of our circumstances. It is my belief that God does want to reach us through these means as well. My job is to discern and to listen carefully. In John Jesus talks about being our shepherd and us being his sheep. The sheep know the voice of their Shepherd. So, I believe that Jesus can speak to me through any means and if it lines up with His Word then I can pretty much trust that the word is from Him. Sometimes I need to check it out with a brother or sister in Christ and I am not afraid to do so.
Closing my mouth is not only helpful but is essential in the pursuit of becoming an active listener. For most of my pilgrim journey this has been an ongoing lesson. Some of us need to learn to speak up and others of us need to learn to keep quiet. I am so grateful to be on this road knowing that there are bends and turns that will continue to shape my character.
Thanks for reading. CM

Young People
My children are no longer children, they are young people, teenagers. Growing up more quickly than I expected. We have had our share of struggles but all in all we are still enjoying and discipling our children. What I sometimes find hard is that I am still growing up as well. Yesterday in my spirit I felt like I was going to break but it is during those times that I think that I need to be still before our Father and remember that He is the Potter and that I am the clay, that my life is not my own that I was bought with a price, that I am to do His will and not my own.
I am so grateful for the relationships that I have with each of my children. Lately, I have been reading about and witnessing great struggles between young people and their parents. In my life, I have read many books (many more as an adult than when I was young) and some things really stick, "Rules without relationships equals rebellion" I read that in 1988 on my honeymoon (I could tell you book and the author too :-) It is not enough to lay down the law with our children, we must give them our time, attention and our hearts. It is the heart part that is the most challenging. It requires us to be vulnerable, open, honest and transparent but I am seeing how it is worth it, even when it is painful.
Today I am treasuring the time we have with our children as we can see the crossroads that are quickly approaching with our oldest - the others time is not far behind.

What direction?
I have these arrow stickies that I really like and right now I have 5 of them all pretty much pointing in the same direction. It is quite orderly in fact. Somedays do you feel like you have arrow stickies all pointing in different directions and you are not sure which way to go. I think I need to go to the Father as it feels like I have 5 stickies staring me in the face that requires me to go 5 different ways all at the same time. Augggh!
The new Switchfoot album has a song that states that we have one life to lead and at the same time asks the question, What direction? Going to the Father gave me the direction I needed and I was able to take the path that He led me down. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be must have been Him carrying me.

INBOX
Most mornings I check my email. What's in my inbox this morning? NYTimes: Scramble for the Primary Race, Truth for Life Daily: Recall God's mercies, Region 8 tournament dates, I'd like to get this (from one of my kids), Expedia, Off-topic SHFL list: Struggling with teens (shouldn't that be ON topic?), Feedblitz, among others. Checking your email is like checking the answering machine back in the days before email. We use it to communicate with one another.
Remember when it was a novelty and you would get a nice email from a friend. It is not that I still don't get those kinds of emails but more and more this is how I stay connected to the world. Recently, I was gone for 2 weeks and I didn't get to check my email. I think I have gotten through most of it, but I missed checking it. I am unashamedly technology dependent.
I'm a saver too. My husband can't stand to look at my inbox and now that I have gmail, I am even more unlikely to clean it out. On occasion I do clean it out even though gmail "says" you never have to delete any email you have 2809 MB.

On the other hand, I have friends from around the country and it is a great way to stay in touch. I also love getting pictures of the little nieces and nephews back home who we are missing growing up. So I love when I get those invites from my sister-in-law, Shosh to view her latest photos. If people are not blogging about their life then the next best thing is the pictures. Some say a picture says a thousand words.
Writing this reminds me that I still have a few new email addresses to put in my contact list. Don't stop communicating with one another, keep in touch.
Hopefully I am sitting in your inbox waiting to be read.

Catch the Vision
In 2002, Grace and I attended our first Communicators for Christ (CFC) conference in MA. It was here that I first heard about the vision of Communicators for Christ. The next one we made was in New Albany, IN when we were living in VA Beach in the October 04. It was there that I began to see the vision but it was not until the fall of 2005 in the city of Nashua, NH that Dan and I caught the vision the Lord had given to David & Teresa Moon for the up and coming generation, to coach cultural communicators for Christ.

Communicators are being trained. Some of the most godless young people are being trained to lead our country and some of them will be leading flock astray as well (yes, I do mean from the pulpit). CFC says we can and must train our young people for Christ. It is not about the awards and accolades. It is about communicating the truth. We are indeed swimming upstream but in God's strength and not our own, there is great hope for this generation of young people.

It is our first priority to make sure our children know the truth and are walking in it. Of course, we realize that our children can not give away what they themselves do not possess. It is however, not enough for us to simply leave them there, knowing and walking in the truth. They need to be able to communicate the truth effectively, winsomely and intelligently. CFC is helping my husband and I to do that, as well as, giving our children opportunities to help others.

Now, I can't wait to get back to the club here in Gainesville and continue to encourage and exhort others to press on and continue to sharpen those skills to make a difference now as well as in the future.
PAX,
CM

War of Words
This is the title of the book I am now using for my daily devotional. It is recommended by my friend Teresa Moon and written by Paul David Tripp. Yesterday, I did say there was hope in winning the war of words and the words from this book are not new, however they are important. C.S. Lewis said, "we do not so much need to be taught as to be reminded."

"we must learn to think before we speak" that is something I read this morning. How many times have I said this to my own children? or to myself after the "toothpaste is out of the tube"? Mr. Tripp refers us to Proverbs 15 verse 28, "The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil." This is not a new lesson but sometimes it is forgotten. There are moments like the one in the van where I wish I had just paused for a moment and sought the Lord before I spoke. We can! but we must remember. My prayer is that I would take enough time to stop in my tracks and turn to the Lord and ask, will these words bring glory to YOU, Lord? and will these words be beneficial to my hearers?

Looking to be bold by the Might of the Lion of Judah,
Catherine

Seventy times Seven
As some of you know, we (the Mullaney Pilgrims) are involved with public speaking and debating. The ministry of Communicators for Christ (CFC) helps us to prepare our young people for these activities and for the past 2 weeks we have been challenged, stretched and equipped to become better communicators at the 10th CFC Masters conference.
We heard from polished instructors and teachers who communicate in a professional and gracious manner and the following story from the road reminds us that the tongue is one of the most difficult things in this world to tame. However, there is hope in winning the war of words.
It's the 11th hour on the road and someone needs to go to the bathroom. Oh yes, there have been quite a few stops before this one, but like I said, it's the ELEVENTH hour and we are close to home. On this particle part of the journey I am riding in my friend's van (without her ;-( and 8 young people, three of whom are mine. Truth be told I lost my temper and not really sure now if I apologized or not, I think I did but if I didn't, I ask those of you who were with me, will you forgive me?
Why am I highlighting one of "my moments," the ones that we all hope and pray that everyone will forgive and forget about? Well it has to do with love - not the selfish love of I will love you as long as you give me what I want but the deep and true love that the Lover of our souls calls us to extend to one another. This is the love that includes forgiveness. It wasn't enough for Jesus to just love us, He could have done that from above, however in Romans Paul says, "but God demonstrates his own love to us in this, that while we were still sinners He died for us" and the death, the shedding of his blood was for the forgiveness of sins.
I sinned and I am truly sorry. The Lord granted us traveling mercies and for that I am grateful. It was a van full of firstborns, 6 including myself and it is amazing that the clashes were few and far in between. As we continue to debrief from our trip these things come up and I desire to be washed in the blood of the lamb and know that God's graces and mercies far outweigh my blunders.
Riding 800 miles with 8 young people was an adventure and I would do it again in a heartbeat. We road without a stereo or DVD player - IMAGINE, just with one another and a number of cell phones. Everyone took care of one another and stuck together; no one was left behind at McDonald's or anywhere else for that matter. There was an issue with the number 7 but all in all it was a good ride home and I look forward to more journeys in the coming year.
PAX,
CM

The Body of Christ
Today I wrote emails to Mississippi, California and Washington. Just following up with some friends from the Masters conference. Our world has gotten so much bigger not just because we move often but also because of our involvement with competitive speech and debate. Our children are now also speaking out in the community and helping others to develop their communication skills while continuing to work on their own skills. It is an exciting and fast pace part of raising a family and I would not miss it for the world.
Thanks to everyone especially the Moon family for contributing to the lives of our three children. We are so grateful to God for you being a part of our lives.

To Serve the Master

Dan finally caught his breath and said, "Grace is in the finals for the oratorical contest and it is about to start any minute." I was just finishing ballots for another activity that I was judging. I thought, I don't want to miss this, so I packed up my things and made it into the room, just in time.

We have just returned from the Communicators for Christ Masters Conference. Each year they have an oratorical contest based on the theme for the upcoming year and the speech the students have to write is based on that theme. This year's is "One Life Whose Legacy?" All three of my children wrote a speech for the contest - three very different speeches. The final round was a great group of very different speeches based on this one theme.

Grace's speeches starts, "What shall I say?" quoting Sarah Edwards the wife of Jonathan Edwards and the legacy of this man is what Grace would be sharing about in this speech. The powerful legacy left by this one man is inspirational but so is my daughter who is growing into not just an outstanding orator but also a beautiful hand-maiden of her Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace quietly and joyfully served faithfully in several areas during this Masters Conference and several of the local team expressed their gratitude for my daughter. As a mom it was humbling and heartwarming. I am grateful for all three of my children and our oldest child is completing the shortest season of life: childhood. Words cannot express the gratitude I have in my heart for being there in each stage of development.

Catherine
The results of the oratorical will soon be posted at the CFC website
Check it out soon.

Not all commodes are equal

I plunged again this morning. The first day we were in this apartment we arrived without a plunger and we were almost immediately in trouble. One of the interesting things in moving often is learning to adjust to very simple things like the toilets. We have two in this place.
Life lesson for a pilgrim if I ever settle down: No two commodes are alike. I would want a permanent residence with a good powerful flush. (does that mean I am easy to please or just full of . . .? ;-)

Pax and Elimination,
CM

Heuristic Home Education


The world of forensics is consuming us, all for the glory of God. Now when I speak of forensics I don't mean we are examining cadavers. However, there are people who would rather be a cadaver then take the public platform to speak. It is just amazing that I even have access to this computer at this time since my children each need to Preparing speeches writing, practicing, delivering and debates, researching, writing cases, researching, debating, writing briefs, etc.
and "does this outfit look professional enough Mom?"
"Can we go to Wal-mart?"
"We are almost out of black ink mom....(we need to go to Wal-Mart)"
"When are we leaving (translates to: how much time do I have left to memorize these speeches?)

The three young people that live and travel with us are constantly learning new things.

Discovery, questions, findings

Creativity

struggling

growing up

living at the same address (for more than six months) perhaps by the next time we move they will all know our zip code.

Time

is

getting

short

Caitriona
I realized today that the url for my blog was not the same as the title for my blog. If I were to change the name I go by again which I did in 1991, it would be "Caitriona." It was while reading a Stephen Lawhead book out loud to my kids that I first came across the name. Immediately I liked it. So perhaps when I turn 50 or get published hoping that the latter will come before the former I will take on a new name again. Caitriona Pellegrino or maybe Caitriona Palmer, both surnames mean pilgrim. It really would not be new just a different form of the same name which is what I did in '91.
Of course, there are a number of people who still call me by the name my parents gave me. I don't think Dan would appreciate my changing my surname, but if it was just a pen name I don't think he'd mind.

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. " Proverbs 22;1

The meaning of my name is purity which was a complete joke to me before I was a Christian. Being bad was good. Growing up, I thought it was cool to be bad. Then I found out that everyone is bad and in need of forgiveness, redemption and restoration. Now I see that the Lord speaking my full name over me through my husband that He is in the business of making his children pure through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.


Here we are into the new year. It is a strange new year because we are not in a new place. Believe it or not, it has been a real adjustment for me. Something inside is longing to go. We really are creatures of habit. Soon enough I will be on the road with my children, heading to KY for a couple of weeks. It is however not the same as moving to a new city and state. Pray that the Lord give me peace and joy in being right where I am and doing exactly what he intends for me to do.
Pax,
Caitriona

The END of 2006
and

the beginning of 2007
.....ring in the new year with glad anticipation.

Full Throttle
Clean thoughts from a caffeine junkie

Standing in line at Wal-Mart, I noted that at every register there are a wide selection of energy drinks. Full Throttle is one of just a slew of energy drinks on the market - Full Throttle from Coca-Cola Company, Adrenaline Rush, Amp Energy drink, Double Shot from Starbucks, No Fear from SoBe and of course, RedBull which is the one first introduced in the US. European and Asia countries have been consuming these energy drinks longer than we have. ("who's this 'we' Tonto? Americans) On occasion I have had an energy drink but I considered RedBull, well, high test and not sure how I would react.
It made me question, why do we need energy? a pick me up? coffee in the morning? In three words, "we never stop" I totally agree with the "I would rather burn out than fade away" but if God rested on the 7th day who are we to think that we don't need rest?
Rest - It is a biblical principle that I think is being overlooked these days. We need down time and we need it regularly. There are so many principles to put into practice. Often we translate that into being active. That reminds me of a bumper sticker, "Look busy, Jesus is coming back." You have to stay busy even if you are not accomplishing anything. At least you look the part. It is hard in our society to just be, after all, we are human beings but we act like human doings. Physical rest, mental and spiritual rest are all necessary. It would do us good to learn from orthodox Jews about the sabbath rest. I do realize that they take it to the extreme but if we find a way to implement it into our lives I believe we will burn brightly for years to come, eventually coming to the burn out, not fading away or rusting out.

As I sit here, drinking my morning jump juice, I am realizing that this is what I am missing in my staying in one place longer than usual. When we move to a new place, all we have is each other. There is time to relax after the unpacking is done. We go exploring and each of us has time to spend alone and with each other. It is up to us to get to know other folks and we have in every place we have lived. The rest of my time here in G'ville will be more productive, if I make rest a regular part of my week. For today, there are routes to be routed, lists to be made, speeches to be polished and debates to be had in preparation for the Masters conference that we leave for in just 9 short days.
I hope each of you find some time to rest this weekend.
Pax,
Catherine

6 Months in Gainesville and starting our 13th month in the Sunshine State. Sure there are other states to see but staying for a while longer than we are use to is an adventure too. Imagine, cooking a turkey without having boxes to pack in between basting the bird. Christmas with a real tree, of course, we still have our travel size "you can't have Christmas, GML tree" and it has taken a beating but still looks marvelous.
I am ready to go when the time comes but for now I am content to stay. It is wonderful getting to work and serve along side my husband and children. For all of those who have welcomed us we can not thank you enough for your Gracious Gator Hospitality.
PS
If anyone up North reads this say Happy Birthday to our nephew Nicky who turns 17 today.

Pilgrim latest read, The Highlander's Last Song by George MacDonald
Originally titled What's Mine's Mine
I just wanted to post a few quotes before I return the book to the shelf.

One of them I am currently using in my email signature,
"A love can never be lost; it is a true possession."

For those of us who are on the pilgrim highway,
"God did not make the world to be dwelt in but to be journeyed through."

Those who long for abundant living,
"...think she(Mercy) must, for she found herself in a region of human life drastically different from any she had ever experienced. Everything said or done seemed to acknowledge something understood. Life went on with a continuous lean toward something rarely mentioned, plainly uppermost. The mother and her two sons appeared to know things which her own people did not even suspect."

Fragile
I have been to the post office a few times in the past 2 weeks. The second time I was in line with a few things to mail. Some of them needed to be weight and mailed off with the proper postage. Of course the clerk asks the usual "anything fragile, hazzardous, liquid or perishable?" I don't think I said anything and the clerk stamped on the front of a certain envelop "fragile," as if she could see on my face that part of my heart was in the 6x9 envelop.
I walked out in a sort of dream like state. Am I that transparent? Then I remembered a little section from the latest George MacDonald novel that I just finished reading:
"It is the desire to call things ours - the desire of company which is not of our kind. We call the holding in the hand, or house, or pocket, or purse, or the power, having. But things so held cannot really be had. Having is but an illusion with regard to things. It is only what we can be with that we really possess. A love can never be lost; it is a true possession. But who can take his diamond ring, or his piece of land, in to the life beyond? These are not possessions. Thus, only love, and only God can be ours perfectly. Nothing called property can be ours at all."
Although, the card and the words that were written are an expression of my love they were not fragile in the world's definition however in the spiritual world the contents were indeed precious and would be handled with much care.

Holiday Cheer
Please visit my daughter Grace's blog
where I have a guest post named "Hap-happiest Season of all." It is the second to last current post.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Let the stories be told
For those of you who I write a letter to on a semi regular basis, you know the kind that comes via the US Postal Service, well I wrote most of it in October and then my computer got sick. It is still in the computer shop waiting for a transplant. The machine is ancient (nearly 4 years old) so you have to wait for parts longer when they are that old.
At present each person in our family is writing their own novel. We are doing NanoWrimo which is writing a novel in the month of November 50,000 words is the goal. You read that right FIFTY THOUSAND. Each of us has over 25,000 words that is well over 125,000 (I think each of the children have over 30K each). WOW. This is my time on the computer to get some writing do but instead I am posting here. Perhaps I will go put the coffee on and then get into my book. The Title is Identity Theft (subtitle) It is not your number they want but the name that they refuse to give you. A futuristic story of the US being in the midst of civil war, families are becoming a thing of the past, all children are wards of the state and some refuse to let the government tare their families apart.
Recently, Michael got to meet one of his favorite author's Lemony Snicket aka Daniel Handler on a surprise trip to Atlanta with me. The girls went to St. Pete's (St. Petersburg, FL) to meet one of their favorite authors (most of Grace's favorites are dead and Angie is fully alive) Angela Hunt. Katie is the one who really introduced us to her writing.
The written word in both the reading and the writing of has always been important to our family but now for the month of November anyway, it has taken first place. Time to brew in more way than one.
Pax Vobiscum,
Catherine

Time to start writing a little more regularly. I have haphazardly been posting on my other blog www.xanga.com/macgrill but I think that I probably won't be posting there anymore since xanga has the rights to whatever you write – hence here I am.
Since my last posting we have had many life-giving experiences which I will not go into right now. The day before yesterday I opened a box marked "after G'ville" which to me meant after we left G'ville in late September which obviously did not happen. (We are on “assignment” in G’ville for now, possibly staying through May.) The box had books in it and they are treasures to us. Since hitting the road we do not own a lot of things but we do love books and when we pull them out, it feels like pulling out a little piece of home. Our family has thoroughly enjoyed reading together. Currently we are reading Brother Andrew’s “Light Force” which is about his experiences in the Middle East where he has met with Jihad and Hezbollah leaders, among others in order to dialogue with those in the Muslim world.
I opened the box and immediately came upon 3 books, one by Francis Shaeffer, one by Edith (his wife) and one by Susan (his daughter). Grace is almost finished reading The Tapestry, a book about the Shaeffer family. So we were blessed. The book I started to read is For the Children’s Sake by Susan Shaeffer Macaulay. It was a book I had read years ago when our children were small and that book made Susan an encouraging friend. I am sure I have a copy back in MA somewhere (since we have books in about 4 different places thanks to my book keepers :-) but seeing it on the bookshelf for sale at McKay’s used bookstore for 2 dollars I bought it just to have on my shelf. I started to read it again. Mind you it is not for those faint of heart. It is meaty, right and true but it can be a challenge to those who have not changed their philosophy of education since being “a typical student” themselves. We continue to meet homeschooling moms who are burnt out on doing “school at home” and attempting to fill their children’s minds with facts instead of training them to become life long learners.
So as I started to reread this book, I thought about my most recent encounter with those who actually work in the government schools.
Santa Fe Community College, here in Gainesville offered a free workshop to any educator interested in the ACT testing available to all juniors and seniors across the country. Since, Grace will be taking the SAT’s, I thought why not check it out. I exchanged pleasantries with the woman beside me and then the woman in front of us turned around to join in. This “lady” was obviously strongly opposed to those of us that educate our children at home. As soon as I said that I educated my children at home she started raising her voice, pointing her finger at me and using “you” statements, I finally found something to help us laugh which put an end to what felt like 20 minutes but was most likely about 2. She then turned to the other gov’t. worker and started in on some shop talk, by and large a list of complaints. I found myself thanking God silently that we as a family have not had to deal with all that endless red tape. At first, I felt assaulted but soon I realized that it had nothing to with me personally. Her whole line of “shoulds” implied that I was depriving my children from all that government schools have to offer as if Dan and I do not have sole authority over the direction of our children’s education.
To many in the government schools, we are the enemy. I don’t see them as my enemy, in fact, as I sat there listening to these two women who are constantly swimming up stream, lacking creativity because the bureaucracy has tied their hands and I felt sad for them. As much as some public educators’ love children they can not and must not treat children as individual persons with different learning styles, strengths and weaknesses. They can not truly love them because they are forbidden to honor these dear precious lives.

For those who enjoy newsie type post I hope you enjoy my last entry which I just re-read . . . it seemed a little bit of rambling to me. It had been over a month so I wanted to let you know I was still alive, well and continuing on our adventurous way even though we are still in FL.

This July Grace put on a successful speech and debate workshop and from that doors have opened, phones are ringing and the inbox is filling up. In Tallahassee I found myself in several interesting conversations with parents who are new to world of forensics (formal argumentation, not CSI style). As we prepare to help start a club here in Gainesville, I realize that there is so much that I don't know but apparently I know enough that other people want to pick my brain. It is a place of responsibility and one that we are embracing and at the same time being very dependent on the Lord.

If you think of the Mullaney Pilgrims please keep us in your prayers and we will keep our seatbelts on as we hang on for the ride.

Three weeks on the road, the first 2 with Grace, the 3rd with Katie and Michael. Our children are growing up fast. It was great being with them. During TeenpactJudicial (www.tpjudicial.org) we made new friends and served along side one another. Some say I am a bit of a sergeant but it is also true that those who may be heavy on discipline are also sustained by a deep love for people. It is getting things done that you want to accomplish that frees us up to have a bit of fun. Inky and I surprised Grace with cake and flowers for her birthday and a room full of people to help us celebrate. Perhaps a Chinese fire drill for good measure as well.
Grace's second surprise came in the oldest established city in the country St. Augustine Florida where we met up with Dan, Katie and Michael to celebrate the girls birthdays. It was a fun filled 22 hours before Grace and I needed to head to Miami Florida. Have you ever been there in the height of the summer? Step outside the door at 7:15 am and for us people who tend to sweat, you instantly start melting. The Tellez family hosted us in that lovely south Florida city where we attended CFC (www.communicatorsforchrist.com ) Grace is an alumni of the program and was able to work with the staff. So that makes me an alumni parent, so I helped the parents who hosted that conference. I also got to visit with some of our dear friends from Naples. We even had dinner with a number of them followed by a taste of heaven while we worshipped the Lord after our meal and before we parted ways.
Tallahassee Florida, Tallahassee, Florida . . . our states capital (yes, the good Floridians have adopted us and made us one of them) seriously, the Floridians we know have loved us like one of their own. Katie, Michael and I had a great time in Tal. Karen Kovaka said to Katie and Michael, "there are more Mullaneys?" They were endeared to the staff through their older sister Grace. We really bonded with the CFC staff especially since it was my second week on tour with them, they were ready to take me to VA with them but there is more to be done in Florida. So we said our good-byes until next time.
Besides we are gearing up to help establish a speech and debate club in Gainesville. It is an exciting adventure that includes the whole family. We can't wait to see what the Lord will do next . . . if you think of us, we would appreciate your prayers.

This morning I turned on the FoxNews - wanting to know what is going on in the middle east. Mostly, they were showing the Americans being evacuated from Beirut. It is serious and it is also, more of the war on terrorism. The battle may be between Lebanon and Israel but the war is between the terrorists and the rest of the world. It linger in the back of our minds. However, with click of a button, I find myself at the British Open in Liverpool, England where my maternal grandmother was from. On to the next channel, I found Zig Ziglar encourager extrodinaire, putting in the plug for his new book, Better than Good!
Interest we can literally tune out those things that have the capability of effecting us in the near future or for the rest of our days. Sometimes we don't want to know and other times like when I first picked up the clickah, we feel compelled to know what is going on in our world, in our Father's world. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. We are His children, agents and warriors. What is my part? What is our part? How am I to respond? If you were a fly on my wall, you might say well look at Catherine, she has gone and made a T-time for tomorrow (that TEE not Tea, so I will be picking up a club not putting on the kettle). Yet, the fly has no idea what is going on in my heart and mind.
Lots of things go on in my mind, like should our family be getting passports, fire arms, and bullet proof vests? Is WWIII just around the corner? Will our children be going to war? My heart cry is COME Lord Jesus COME . . .watching and waiting for the day of HIS RETURN.
Pax Vobiscum,
Catherine