The Reward of Bad Telly

At the end of the day, after homework and chores, soccer/baseball/piano practice, after nagging to pick up toys/ clothes/ shoes/ don’t bring the lizard into the house I don’t care if it is orphaned, after baths and brushed teeth and reading Hop on Pop and singing the favorite song and saying prayers and wait you didn’t practice our memory verses (children become spiritually enthusiastic if it delays bedtime)and doing the correct night-time kisses (butterfly/Eskimo/ big hug, in that order) and making sure nothing is in the closet/under the bed/ behind the curtain, and the night-light is turned on and the door isn’t shut and getting a glass of water, (“me too!” “I don’t like water” “This water is too cold”) and finally going to bed, (wait, someone needs to go tinkle, not by themselves, wait, someone didn’t pull their pants down all the way we need to change into a new pair of pjs, wait, they are in the laundry, here just wear a t-shirt but I’m cold just wear it!!!)
Ok, everyone is in bed, you tip toe down the stairs, ignore the sink that isn’t sparkling like Flylady says and head for the sofa… ahhhhhhhh. Now you have time to do the one thing that can bring you complete and utter joy after a long day….
Bad television.
How can I possibly justify it? What can I say? I watch too much bad television. Do you know when you can tell you have watched too much bad telly? When you begin sentences with “Oprah says…” Or worse: “Tim Gunn says…” Or even worse: “ Suzanne Somers says…” (and if you know those names, you live in my world, my friend.)
Seriously, what can be better after a day of making meals with a main ingredient of cheese or peanut butter, than watching “Top Chef?” I would like to see those guys try to pull it off. Sure, you can make duck confit on an airplane, but can you satisfy the palate of four children under nine who still, no matter what disciplinary action is taken, can’t resist pointing to the plate and saying “What’s THAT?” Please. You people are novices.
My favorite show used to be “Fashion Runway.” I loved the way the judges gave the designers projects that were next to impossible to complete, and then, totally ripped their creations to shreds. For example: make an outfit out of items you can purchase at a drugstore for $25. One of the judges scoffed and said: “Please, that dress looks like it was made out of a lawn chair!” Um, that’s because it IS made out of a lawn chair!!!
And then there is Super Nanny, which is surreal to watch because it is on late and I am usually dozing in and out of consciousness. Wait. That can’t have happened. Did that mother really agree to allow television cameras to follow her around during the day (and night!) and record her parenting? On national television??!! Do they pay these people? There is no amount of money that could override my enormous ego and get me to do that. No way. And then have a saucy British woman, no matter how clever and savvy with children she is, comment? (“Put him in the naughty chair, mummy! The naughty chair!”) She would leave with a limp.
Yes, perhaps it’s time to turn the channel. Or, just go to bed. That’s what Super Nanny would do, anyway.

Written by Robin Braun St. Denis, mother of 4 of the six children on her couch above.

Memories of Baptism

I don't remember the first time I was baptized. I know I was baptized as an infant because when I told my mother I was going to be baptized at 20 years old after professing Jesus Christ as my Savior, she told me there was no need because I had already been baptized. Neither she nor my father were believers at that time.

But I certainly remember being baptized after my conversion. I was going to school in Santa Barbara, California, living with a young family there, helping with their little girl for room and board. The pastor of the church I attended preached a message much like the ones Erik has been preaching and I knew that because Jesus said to be baptized, I needed to obey Him. The church had the service in the afternoon and I was very nervous and shy about being in front of hundreds of people and professing my faith. It was wonderful to come up out of that water and be congratulated by God's people who rushed around me in support and a show of love.

But the real testimony came after I got home. Stan and Helen Silva, the young couple with whom I lived, were having a large group of their friends over for a pool party and as I came in the door, Stan saw me and called me to the backyard. He knew I had become a Christian and had been teasing me about praying for everything and going to church all the time. He knew I was being baptized that day and took this chance to tease me again. He had me stand in front of their friends while he questioned me about this strange thing - an adult college girl being dunked in a pool like a religious fanatic. With my hair still soaking wet, I had a chance to share my love for the Lord Jesus with about 30 people who didn't know you could have a personal relationship with Him.

I was embarrassed, sure - but also proud to be able to overcome my natural shyness by the power of the Spirit in order to do what Jesus asked me to do - be obedient in baptism that others might come to know Him. I had memorized 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given you a spirit of fear but a spirit of love and power and self control." I'm glad I was forced to put that promise to the test.

The Evening Wolves and the Morning Watch

I've been oppressed lately by what Spurgeon calls 'the evening wolves', the thoughts and low spirits, the false accusations of the devil which seem to plague when the day is done and tiredness has set in. I know I just need to rest - there is nothing left for me but sin. Calvin says about Mary's song in Luke 1: "Sorrow and worry prevent both soul and speech from celebrating the goodness of God. Thus when Mary's mind exults for joy, her heart breaks out into the worship of God." The cure for the 'evening wolves'? Setting my mind on the morning watch. David says in Psalm 3: "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me. I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about." And then Shannon reminded me of Psalm 5:3: "O Lord, in the morning thou dost hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch." As I lie down to sleep I prepare my mind for waking to see the Lord (one way or the other!) reminding myself that I through the abundance of my Savior's steadfast love will awaken in God's house, worshiping toward God's holy temple.

The night before Ridley was to be martyred, burned at the stake for preaching the gospel, his brother came to him in prison and offered to remain with him during the night but Ridley declined, saying that "he meant to go to bed and sleep as quietly as ever he did in his life."

Hey, what have I got to be afraid of?

New Baby for the Kinnons

Hi Susan, Funny you should ask.... I am emailing you from our hospital room! William Aaron (Will) Kinnon was born Tuesday, September 18 at 4:31 am - 7 lbs 7oz, 20 1/2 inches long. It was an extremely fast labor and we are both doing great - hoping to go home this morning. I am continually awed by God's goodness and His sweet sweet blessings and his faithfulness to us. I've attached a couple pictures. I read Shannon's blog post - good questions she had about readying our family's hearts for worship. Does Erik post anywhere what the scripture passage will be for each Sunday? When he's following along in 1 Corinthians, it's easy to know, but that's not always the case. When you mentioned inductively reading the scripture before each Sunday, I thought that was such a great idea (and why didn't I ever think to do that before?) And yes, I have to agree with Shannon, the past two worship services have been extremely powerful and sweet. I think starting with the Word and then worshipping in song, as a response to God's Word, and all together (everyone there) has just been awesome. Hope you and Mike are doing well. I'm sure Mike is busy with the new classes he is teaching, but I'm equally sure he is enjoying excercising his gift. Beth

A Day in the Life of a Mom of Boys

Our after school snack consisted of canned spaghettios with meatballs…and a glass of milk. Josh (my six year old) put on his cleats (and I double tied them) to get ready for flag football practice. After begrudgingly finishing homework, Parker (my 10 year old) asked if he could take his bike (for the bike trails) to Joshua’s practice. I said, “yes”, so we loaded the bike in the car. When we got there, Parker decided that he didn’t want to ride the trails…after getting his bike out of the car and sitting on it. Instead we played catch. After all, Parker has flag football practice tomorrow and needs to keep his arm loose since he’s the throwing quarterback. Josh is also quarterback (especially this week because the 7-yr-old QB is missing the game) and I’m watching his practice out of the corner of my eye as Parker and I run patterns and practice leading each other with the football. As practice winds down, Parker and I go over to wait with the other parents and one “dad” says TO ME, “You throw pretty good!” Then he takes the field and Josh’s team circles around him for a motivational speech. It was Buddy Curry who played linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons in the 80’s! We leave flag football practice and go to pick up the big boys, Trey (my 14-year-old) and Dad (my almost 40-yr-old) from varsity football practice at Lincoln High School. I am handed tickets to Friday night’s game, which is in a 20,000-seat stadium in Valdosta, Georgia and told to be there by kick-off because my freshman son is starting at right guard that night!! We decide to celebrate just a tad early and go out for dinner that night. After putting the bicycle in Dad’s classroom, because we forgot that the FIVE of us and the bike could not all ride together across town, we head over to Sonny’s Barbecue where at least two of us will order the “all you can eat” portions. As we are escorted to our table, Mike nods toward another table and I discreetly look over and see Bobby Bowden (head football coach of the FSU Seminoles) and his wife! Wow! My first Bobby sighting in the four years I’ve lived here. How cool is that? So we sit, and pray, and eat, and chat, and eat and joke and eat a little more. And then we have to pay, of course. And pay again when we arrive home because it is a little later than normal for winding down, and the boys are silly, and begin running through the house naked (well, not the 14-yr-old) after their showers.
Ah, and finally they settle, and Mike and I have the living room to ourselves. I’m reminiscing about a fantastic day with my boys, and he is absorbed in Ultimate Fighting Championship TV.

Get The Clutter Together!

Did you know a group of kittens is called a clutter? It’s a gaggle of geese, an exaltation of lark, a flamboyance of flamingo. You have a parliament when you get owls or rooks to gather, crocodiles congregate. When male dolphins get together for cigars, it’s called an alliance but female dolphins party. Kris and I looked these up on the internet when we heard someone on tv ask what you called a group of ape - the answer? A shrewdness. I knew from the title of a novel it’s an unkindness of raven. Your kids would like to know when they see a slimy bunch in the bucket for fishing, it’s a squirm of worm. When mice hold a conference, it’s only for mischief. We all love a kaleidoscope of butterfly, hate the smack of jellyfish and sigh over the loveliness of ladybug. Have you seen a piteousness of dove, a dropping of pigeon, a parade of penguin, an ostentation of peafowl, a richness of marten, a murder of magpie, a convocation of eagle (of course), a ballet of swan, a quarrel of sparrow, a siege of crane, a charm of hummingbird, a paddling of mallard and my personal favorite, a darling of robin.
I saw Shannon and Rob Pifer walking up to church, Rob in the lead with the little one in his arms, then Shannon, then the other four in a row behind her like ducklings. They looked so orderly and yet fun. I wonder what Shannon had to do to get her gaggle, her parade together that morning. When we had our five all at home - a 13 year old, a 12 year old, a 9 year old, a five year old and a babe in arms, we might have been labeled a disarray of Brauns. But I needed to get my prickle of porcupines out the door and into the door of the church every Sunday.
Wasn’t yesterday wonderful? The exposition of 1 Corinthians 10 and the challenges to avoid attributing spiritual realities to ritual activity, particularly as we took communion. The sorrow of facing down our sin and the joy of knowing the blood of Christ has cleansed us. The fellowship at the altar of communion with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I love seeing your faces as you go forward for communion and hearing your voices as you praise our God. Did you take seriously the admonition to avoid casual irreverence in your approach to worship? I like what David said in 1 Chronicles 21:24, “I will not take for the Lord what is yours nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” It may seem trivial to you, the effort expended week after week to make sure you and yours are in attendance before the Lord but God doesn’t regard your efforts as trivial. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5: “When you are assembled and my spirit is present, with the power of the Lord Jesus…” The power of the Lord Jesus is there, in that place. It’s worth every bit of effort. Let’s join in encouraging one another - let us know how you make gathering on Sunday morning and for your fellowship groups a priority. When do you start preparing? How do you prepare physically? Spiritually? Mentally?
And all the peeps said?

Let's Create Some Morning Chatter!

You may have wondered how I came up with the title, Daughters of Song. When my sister, Gail, visited our church in New Jersey and sat watching the women come in dressed in their bright dresses and chattering to their friends and families as they got settled, she said it was like watching a flock of pretty birds. I thought of Ecclesiastes 12, "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come... when one rises at the sound of the bird and all the daughters of song sing softly." We are God's daughters, we sing his song. David says in Psalm 1: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night.
On “…but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he meditates day and night…” Martin Luther writes (I know he uses 'hence' twice but don't let that stop you from the power of this :) “The ’will’ which is here signified, is that delight of heart, and that certain pleasure, in the law, which does not look at what the law promises, nor at what it threatens, but at this only: that the law is ’holy, and just and good.’ Hence it is not only a love of the law, but that loving delight in the law which no prosperity, nor adversity, nor the world, nor the princes of it, can either take away or destroy; for it victoriously bursts its way through poverty, evil report, the cross, death and hell, and in the midst of adversities, shines the brightest.”
“The mouth of the righteous shall meditate wisdom.” Hence, Augustine has, in his translation, ’chatter’; and a beautiful metaphor it is - as chattering is the employment of birds, so a continual conversing in the law of the Lord (for talking is peculiar to man) ought to be the employment of man.” Martin Luther
The women of God, those ’daughters of song’ ought to create a godly chatter in the morning. As the psalmist says, ’I will awake the dawn’. I don’t think you have to be up before the sun but there is something about the Proverbs 31 woman who rises while it is still early and provides food for her household that should compel us to our morning devotions. The King James Version says, “provides meat”… we know the word is likened to spiritual food and we are to be like newborn babies desiring that spiritual food (1 Peter 2) not only for our own nourishment but to build up others. Every new mother knows what it is like to rise while it is yet night to feed that little one.
When we talked about the woman as “keeper of the home” many said that Proverbs 31 seems like a scary list of tasks at which we are constantly falling short but we must see it as the praise of our heavenly husband saying to the bride, “You are blessed because you are this woman, this woman who fears the Lord."
So let’s create some early morning chatter, you daughters of song, and keep it up all through the day and night! Let us hear from you - we need your song today.

Mike Jr. and Karen's Family Introduction

My name is Karen (Dunn) Braun and I married Susan’s oldest son just over 18 years ago. I grew up in a family of seven in a small East Texas town. My mom and dad had five children within the first ten years of their marriage. Mom held down the fort as Dad served in Vietnam as an Army Chaplain. I trusted Jesus at an early age and He became my Lord as Savior. After playing sports and graduating from high school, I left home to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. That is where I met Michael… Mike… Mike Jr., all one in the same. We graduated together in the class of ’89 and married in July of that same year. One military tour in Germany, ten moves, three sons, and 18 years later here we are in Tallahassee, Florida with the majority of the Braun clan. I could not have married into a finer family of “in-laws”. The Lord has sustained Mike and me by His grace on our journey and our present profile looks like this: Dad teaches high school and coaches football. Mom also teaches high school (after 11 years of being home with the boys). Trey is a freshman in high school and a football player. Parker is a fifth grader and into skateboarding. And Joshua is a first grader and pretty much, happy-go-lucky. The Brauns are a much funnier lot (as in able to communicate with humor) than the crew I grew up in, so please recognize my meager attempts to add comedy as we encourage each other in our walk of faith through this blog.