That's Why I Don't Do Santa, I'm jealous!!

I'M JEALOUS!!!! The personal, wonderful,awesome, most gracious God I serve should not have to share His attributes with an imaginary fat man that delivers toys to our children. What attributes you ask? "He sees you when he's sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows when you are bad and good so be good for goodness sake", or the one children expect to get the best gifts from, the one with the most anticipated arrival of the year". I don't mind the true story of St. Nick. If I'm given cookies in a Santa tin, I am by far not offended. I don't even mind the children singing songs or seeing Santa at the mall for fun. But I don't want my children to anticipate the arrive of Santa more than the return of Jesus or His Spirit visiting us on earth even now. I don't want them to ever believe he knows all about them when there is only one all-knowing God, Jesus. He's the One you need to fear when you are in sin. When my youngest daughter this year decided Santa had to be real because she had seen him at the mall and other people wouldn't lie to her, I thought it was funny at first. Then realized that I really don't like any honor that belongs to the Lord to ever go to a "fun celebration" on the day when most Christians celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus. I'm jealous. I don't want His glory shared with any other. I also don't want her ever to doubt the "realness" of Jesus as if this was just another fairy tale we tricked her about. I want her to know He is real and that she will desire to know Him herself when she sees Him in our lives. I'm jealous. I don't want to share any of God's glory with Santa. We even had to weigh whether or not to celebrate Christmas in our early Christian walk when we learned the history of the holiday. It's interesting to know the Puritans in England outlawed this holiday as witchcraft. Near the end of the nineteenth century, when other Bible versions began to appear, there was a revival of the celebration of Christmas. We decided to celebrate Christmas in our home...we don't worship the tree or even a baby in a manger but celebrate the risen Lord who was born in the manger. We don't mind the holiday movies as long as they are viewed as any other movie they watch in the year...pure entertainment. It's not for me to decide how anybody else celebrates Christmas, but for me and my house we will focus on the risen Lord Jesus.

Our Annual Christmas Letter

2009 Christmas Letter

I Peter 1:2-4: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

What a fast and furious year! Seems like we just brought Christopher home from the hospital and yet like he’s been with us always. We began our year with a big, happy baby boy Christopher birthed 2/2 at 8# 14-1/2 oz. Before I knew it, spring break was upon us. Blinked again and summer was here and we spent vacation with the family at Suzanne’s on Sunset Beach. It was a blast!! Turned around and we were back working away in school. We now have 2 high schoolers, John Russell and Nicholas. Timothy, Praise, Michael and Emily are in the home school co-op, Classical Conversations. This year’s rotation is in Ancient History. We’re learning a lot and I’m enjoying teaching on Tuesdays also. Now fall is upon us. As the trees and plants change into their full fall array, I think upon the year and of the many changes our family has gone through. With the economy’s downfall, Rusty is working full-time now for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Dept. as a deputy jailer. He enjoys his work processing folks into the “government hotel”. I’m still running the book warehouse for Nigel, a missionary on assignment in a big city in Canada. Although, I LOVED my position over the children’s ministry at Grace, I’ve taken a break for a season. It was such a blessing to be given the privilege of pouring into children the love of our Savior Jesus! Our family has been blessed with so many great friends, old and new. I’m overwhelmed with the generosity of our great God who would bless me with a joy-filled home full of happy and healthy children, a devoted dad, a happily married daughter and 2 precious grandchildren and so much more than I ever dreamed or deserve.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Psalm 127:3

My prayer for each of you would be to know the love and joy that I have found in Jesus. Many blessings to you all for a full and wonderful year. May each day be filled to the brim with Life and that you will walk in the freedom, grace, joy and love that Christ died to give you.

Merry Christmas,

Michelle and Rusty
John Russell, Nicholas, Timothy, Praise, Michael, Emily & Christopher

Choose Joy

It's that crazy time of year again. Each year I try to do less and less to make it a more relaxed month but somehow MUCH still creeps in. We're still in school but each day is becoming December "homeschool light" as the days creep on closer to the 25th. Work has picked up a lot and my mother is now full time employed (PTL) after a year and a half from being laid off. I'm very happy for her and realize again what a blessing she was to me here as I pick up the full load again. I'm allowing the teens to work again to help lighten the load. Being a mom of many, running a warehouse, homeschooling 5, being a wife, and trying to juggle housework, healthy diets, exercise, and more adding a busy month in could be a recipe for disaster BUT once again I choose joy. I will choose to rejoice in the Lord each day! I will choose to thank Him for the work He gave my husband and I instead of complaining. I will choose to thank Him for the ability to homeschool my children instead of straining under the stress of the task at hand. I will choose to thank Him for blessing our home with good health, joyful children and most of all a peaceful home to lay my head down at night in. I will enjoy the Christmas music, the hot tea or chocolate (even if there will be a dozen more spoons and powder spills on the counter), the warm fire (that I never have to build thanks to my pyro sons), and the busyness of it all because we miss out on the abundant blessings poured out into our every days if all we gaze at are the troubles. Thank you Jesus for the joy you infiltrate into our lives. Help us to keep focused on you and enjoy the ride of life.

I Want to Love You More
Michelle Tordoff

Help me love you more than my pillow Lord
To rise and praise you in the morn
Help me love you more than the food I eat
To fast and pray, on your Word to feast

I want to love you more
You are worthy of all and what am I?
In light of You
It’s a small thing to give my life.

Let me not be captivated by the world.
Over uneternal things, may I choose Your ways
Let my recreation be pleasing to You
And not the focus of my days.

I want to love you more
You are worthy of all and what am I?
In light of You
It’s a small thing to give my life.

I want to love you more and myself less
Look towards You for whom I should bless.
To thank You when praises come
And not believe that I’m really anyone.

I want to love you more
You are worthy of all and what am I?
In light of You
It’s a small thing to give my life.

New Quote

From the Confessions of St. Augustine:
"Most highest, most good, most potent, most omnipotent; most merciful, yet most just; most hidden, yet most present; most beautiful, yet most strong; stable; yet incomprehensible; unchangeable, yet all-changing; never new, never old; all-renewing, and bringing age upon the proud, and they know it not; ever working, ever at rest; still gathering, yet nothing lacking; supporting, filling, and overspreading; creating, nourishing, and maturing; seeking, yet having all things. Thou lovest, without passion; art jealous, without anxiety; repentest, yet grievest not; art angry, yet serene; changest Thy works, Thy purpose unchanged; receivest again what Thou findest, yet didst never lose; never in need, yet rejoicing in gains; never covetous, yet exacting usury. Thou receivest over and above, that Thou mayest owe; and who hath aught that is not Thine? Thou payest debts, owing nothing; remittest debts, losing nothing. And what had I now said, my God, my life, my holy joy?"

Worship

Although I've purposed to live a life of no regrets, I've discovered once again it's almost impossible. Sometimes we just plain make poor choices and other times until God reveals things to you, you don't even realize you walked off in your own way. It may not be necessarily a "bad" way but not God's "best" for you or your family. It has impressed upon me to be more purposeful in praying for God's guidance for our family. As I strive to walk in this path, I'm praying for an ear to hear and feet to obey whatever direction He's sending us in.

We've been visiting different churches the past few weeks. My children are so used to great praise and worship music in the church we've been a member of for the past 16 years that even if the Word is preached great and the teachings for their ages are challenging, some of them aren't interested. That saddens me. I want my children to worship the Lord with the whole hearts whether it's great praise music, an old hymn, in silence, prayer, the reading of God's Word, participating in communion, and/or serving their family or others. My prayer is that they realize they can worship while studying the Word, as they work, and in Biblical teachings. It's not limited to one act, but is done properly when the heart and attitude of the person is in the right place. I hope they can worship the Lord in a crowd that looks like them but if they found themselves in a totally different group that they have absolutely nothing but the Lord in common, they can worship the God of creation with their whole heart. It's easy to believe one is "free" in worship because we don't follow traditional religion's services. One can even become quite arrogant that if they were as full of the Spirit as we are, they would have more modern worship music, a great band, great lighting, latest technology, yada, yada, yada. Those things can be just as traditional in the charismatic world as 3 hymns and a prayer can be in traditional church world. I also believe in both places you can find a heart for worship. I enjoy both when the folks have a heart after God and it's God-centered. I don't mind each of us having different preferences because God created each one of us as unique individuals. Whether it's traditional hymns, modern praise songs, loud concert-style worship, I'm okay with their choices as long as we're God focused and don't completely miss the point of coming together to worship. Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). This means we worship from a pure heart. Finney says, "The Savior says the pure in heart are blessed because they shall come into his presence and enjoy him forever. But more than this is true; they are blessed here in time. They have in their souls a sense of sweetness and purity; they are conscious of loving God and of having great peace of soul and purity of heart--which, of themselves, work out great peace and joy." Our attitude and heart should be towards God not matter what worship service we find ourselves in. For God alone is worthy of all our worship and praise. Worship is done for God and God's pleasure alone! True worship is felt inwardly, and then comes out through our actions. King David had a pure and grateful heart towards God and he worshipped Him with all that he had. So many of the Psalms reflect David's passionate heart for worship. My prayer is that my family will also be men and women after God's own heart. That their lives will be to glorify and exalt God. Although the one hour of worship in church is good and sometimes even great; it's the moment by moment acknowledgment of God and all His power and glory in the day in and day out moments of life that lead them into a lifestyle of worship.

According to the spirit of this age, the ultimate sin is no longer the failure to honor and thank God but the failure to esteem oneself. Self-abasement, not God-abasement, is the evil. And the cry of deliverance is not “O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me?” but “O worthy man that I am, would that I could only see it better!”

John Piper

Canning and 'Maters

Nicholas came in today pretty excited that our slow moving tomatoes finally have ~100 green tomatoes looking like they are on the road to turning red soon. He's already planning and plotting our fall garden. We're thinking cabbage, lettuce, broccoli and carrots. I'm going to keep my eye out for someone's old window or glass door to turn it into a little greenhouse area when winter comes. We kept cabbage and lettuce going all winter once and it was great.

Tonight Praise and I are making pear oatmeal breakfast bars (already put together to bake in the morning), pear honey and pear butter. She'd also like to make her daddy a pear pie for when he comes home from work. If not, we're going to hunt some more pears tomorrow. I'd love to give these away for Christmas this year.

I found a great site today at http://www.homesteadoriginals.com. They are having a contest to win a canning dvd if anyone is interested. I haven't dug totally in and read everything yet because we're so busy today but it looks great.

This fall-like weather makes me want to free my weekends for sewing. We have a lot of unfinished projects we need to catch up on first but I'm hoping to wrap them up this weekend. The big summer to fall clothes swap needs to happen before I think about sewing so I can see what we really need. My aunt has inspired me by some incredibly cute aprons she's been making and selling. I'll have a picture soon on my etsy site. They are great and she's charging too little for all her work! I know they'll really bless some people.

Well that's all for now! I've got pears and an anxious daughter calling my name.

Wandering Thoughts

I've had a LOT to write but haven't taken much time to sit and write lately. Life is flying by fast and furious. I would relish in a day that I could be bored. I don't even recall what that felt like :).

Vacation in August was fabulous. We always have a great time at the beach. It also makes me wish we lived closer to Suzanne. She's like a little sister and I just love her. Had a fabulous time with my daughter and her family, my sister and her family and, of course, my hubby and our family. I hope my little ones alway remember what great times we've had on our beach trips. They are such memory makers.

This vacation I finished the book "Beyond the Glittering Mask". This book is about a visit to a professor from Satan and Michael and their thoughts on the 7 deadly sins. Some quotes to ponder:

Satan on pride: It has always been among my noblest goals to inspire the sons and daughters of Eve to resist by refusing instruction. This simple tactic thoroughly frustrates the Tyrant. Men and women who stand fast against the Tyrant’s thinly veiled instructions, reproof, correction, direction, and regulations infuriate him beyond measure. One of my most proven strategies in the fight for liberation is to infiltrate families, factories, and forts with the plan of passive resistance. Refuse to listen! That is the anthem the Tyrant hates to hear. It is the holy song of the proud and the melody to which my most successful armies have marched throughout the ages. When school children whisper, pew sitters pass notes, employees ignore directions, and the young laugh off the admonitions of the old, the cause of liberation is furthered.
*****************************

Michael speaking to Lucifer on sloth: What’s the difference? Sloth steals their souls’ desire. Unable to shake themselves and rise to seek His face, they help themselves to willing doctors who will reject them with the serum of Sloth. Religion, like a lullaby makes men too lazy to live. Or else they find an organ grinder with a dancing monkey on a string, and look at the monkey! Look at the monkey dance! See how funny! And Heaven weeps. You, Lucifer, you are no god at all, but a lazy deceiver who thinks the play’s the thing. And you make your children laugh until they weep from emptiness and dance until they die. Do NOT speak to me of religion! You are the father of that carnival show.

**************

Those were some of many lines in the book that really make you ponder how lightly we take sin. Another great moment at the beach was the Sunday service on the beach. That's always one of my favorite things to do when we go. There's nothing like sitting in front of God's creation of roaring waves, splashing seas, blowing wind, and sing to and of our mighty Lord with fellow believers!! I love it!!

Since the beach, we've been getting in "school" mode. We're already back into tennis, ballet, band and co-op. Next week we're back into art with my mom teaching. Tordoff Academy light ends and we take off into full speed next week. We've been 3/4 speed since last week and next week we'll be running on all cylinders. Vrrrrrrooom.

We've also started as a family to read through the Bible in 90 days. I have over 20 other people reading with us that I send daily reminders to. It's going to be a great adventure. I just encourage folks to look for Jesus in every reading. I'm really excited about doing this.

Well, that's it for news on us besides our baby is already 6 months old and has the greatest, chunkiest legs ever. His diaper makes it look like we're cutting off the circulation to his legs. You just want to squeeze him and his happy face. He's the happiest little fella. We just love him. Thanks again Lord for all the blessings you've given us!

Pics from the Day

Great Summer Day

What a great day today. The older boys did yard work in North Augusta while the rest of the troop and I went strawberry and flower picking. We came home and made yummy tomato pizzas on tortillas. Then while Rusty & the children helped our neighbors pack, I made strawberry/blueberry jam, strawberry/blueberry cobbler, and blackberry cobbler. Timothy really wanted strawberry only cobbler so he made it himself. The busyness of the day made for a late dinner but it was still such a great, relaxing day. Praising God for a great day with the fam!!

FILTERS

My four year old daughter was either born with no filter or it's very underdeveloped. Going in public places is always an adventure. Today while grocery shopping she discovered a girl with a piercing in her chin area and was appalled! But did she whisper her despair, oh no, no. That would be far too "polite". She loudly says "Mom, mom that girl has a nail stuck in her face! Mom, Mom, did you hear me? She has a nail STUCK in her FACE!!". Okay, once again we have "the talk". The bad thing is she's not ever truly being mean but stating the obvious LOUDLY! Like the time a friend had food delivered after the baby and she was so surprised at the size of the gentleman she let the whole house, uh, I mean, the whole neighborhood know that he was rather large. And in case anyone missed hearing her state it, she repeated it until everyone, including him, heard. I yi yi. Of course, we're all giving her the "eye". You know what I mean. The "be quiet until I have a chance to explain to you" eye. With the older kids, they get the eye signal or the shaking hand to the throat signal to stop while you're ahead quite well but then there's Emily who doesn't understand why if it's the truth...you just don't tell it. It was while pondering this that I realized my filter may be clogged. I mean, if it's He's the Truth, the Way and the Life, why not just tell it. See, my filter isn't totally clogged because I don't mind sharing Him in the food pantry ministry with strangers who come for food and we pray for. I don't mind sharing Him when it's easy or convenient either. BUT, my filter seems to struggle when I'm in a hurry, have an agenda to accomplish or just don't feel like it! So, I'm praying that my filter gets changed or cleaned quickly and that when the Holy Spirit prompts me to share....I share Jesus with all. Because if it's the Truth why not just tell it; and maybe, just maybe, like Emily I'll let the whole neighborhood hear too, who knows?

Crazy Days

We've been incredibly busy lately. Celebrated a great Resurrection Day at Moms last Sunday with the family. Only thing missing was Brian's family, Fran & Mike. Nicholas was able to go with friends to Florida on spring break,John Russell took his spring break beginning today going with his sister to the beach. Timothy had unexpected dental work yesterday. Emily had an unexpected dr. appt 2 days ago. Christopher has a "planned" dr appt tomorrow. All on top of the normal craziness of homeschooling, running a warehouse, maintaining a home, trying to eat well and exercise and wanting to read sooo many books but having soo little time.

The good news at the dentist appt I was able to read "Liberty and Tyranny". It's a great read. A great quote from James Madison in Federalist 51 was ...."you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself." I'm also reading "Nourishing Traditions" and thus far it's an interesting read. Confirms a lot of what I've learned in other health books. Now to make more application of all the great stuff I know in this busy life. Done well this week with juicing and soup. Hope I can continue to make good choices in this area instead of fast and easy choices. Rereading "Matthew" in the Bible. Read some interesting history surrounding the time Matthew was written (and the time after Malachi until Matthew ~400 years). Some of it new information and some if I've read before I have forgotten.

Getting off this computer to teach some children. Once finished, it's such a beautiful day I'm going to plant some plants and take the children to the library followed by a visit to the park. I LOVE spring and flowers and my children and my grandchildren and my husband and the Lord!! "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!"

Quote from Secure in the Everlasting Arms

Was reading Elizabeth Elliot's "Secure in the Everlasting Arms" at the doctor's office yesterday and found this great quote.

My goal is God Himself --- not joy, nor peace
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.
'Tis His to lead me there, not mine, but His --

"At any cost Lord, by any road!"
So faith bounds towards it's goal in God
and love can trust her Lord to lead her there;
Upheld by Him, my soul following hard,
'Til God has full fulfilled my deepest prayer.

No matter if the way be sometimes dark,
No matter that the cost be oft-times great,
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark--
The way that leads to Him must needs be strait.

One thing I know; I cannot say Him nay;
One thing I do; I press towards my Lord:
My God my glory here from day to day,
And in the glory, there my Great Reward.
(source unknown)

Christopher Alexander Tordoff has arrived!

He's here! He's here!
Born February 2, 2009
Weighing in at a whopping 8# 14 1/2 oz and 21" long!

Check out the double chin!!

The picture was taken his "birth day".

Praising God for a healthy baby boy.