This month’s Christian Audio free download of the month couldn’t have come at a better time. This month’s freebie is “Forgotten God,” by Francis Chan.

Earlier this week, Big Daddy downloaded the prequel, the audio version of “Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God“* from Amazon.com and he’s been listening to it on his computer out in the office. And I’m so happy that I get the newsletter for Christian Audio, telling me that I get to download the sequel for him for free. (HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, right??) ;0)

To get your free copy, visit christianaudio.com and enter the code “JUN2010″ — good for the month of June only, obviously. =)

*The link to Crazy Love is an affiliate link – which means that if you buy something after clicking through from my site, I get a (very) small commission for sending you there.

Do you ever feel like time stands still and for a moment you can almost understand how truly temporary this physical life is?

Like if you could just squint hard enough and look deep enough you could really “GET IT” but just as you start to see it.. everything goes black again. Life goes back to normal, the hum returns and all you’ve got to show for the near epiphany is a shiver down your spine.

Maybe you think I’m crazy. But this happens to me from time to time. I am suddenly struck deep with the “futility” of the physical world (the grass withers, the flower fades) and the utter pointlessness of most of our material things (especially things like credit scores and cavities) and for one drawn out moment my soul longs to be on the other side where there are no credit scores and cavities and everything makes sense.

I’m not suicidal and I’m not crazy. I don’t want to sell 100% of my belongings and live in the bush and I don’t want to ignore things like credit scores and cavities. Well, I don’t really care about the credit scores but at least not the cavities.

I’m just saying that, “Yo, this ain’t gonna last forever, y’all.”

And I know that in my head all the time.. but sometimes I can feel it and see it like it’s right there in front of me.

I’m going to take care of my teeth because God wants me to take care of my body but I’m not taking my teeth to Heaven with me so in the end.. they don’t matter. I’m going to take care of my credit score because God wants me to be a good steward of my finances but in the end, it doesn’t matter either. I will make sure we have enough clothes and food and other necessities but they aren’t going to last forever and they aren’t gonna do us much good “on the other side.”

I’d like to say that we need to keep perspective but honestly every time it happens it feels like it knocks everything OUT of perspective.

I suppose it’s because even when we have our priorities right and our perspective is good, with our finite minds we still can’t really get it. We don’t have the perspective God has. So when we get a glimpse of it, it shakes things up inside our head for just a minute.

I don’t know if God is going to give us all the answers when we get to Heaven. But I am sure that we’ll finally have true perspective, because we will finally be able to see everything from the right vantage point.

Wonder what the view looks like from Heaven?

Photo by Nick Russill, used under Creative Commons 2.0

“Dear God, I hope you are having a good night…”
~Drama Queen, age 7

Image Credit: SuperFantastic on Flickr

I should have known today was going to be one of those days when I didn’t want to get out of bed, over-reacting to something, when tears welled up in my eyes before my feet ever hit the floor.

I should have known today was going to be one of those days when my day started off with wet carpet and a wet throw pillow from my new bedding set, when the weather outside was gray and rainy and promised nothing more for the day, when the mood inside didn’t look much better than the one outside.

I should have known today was going to be one of thoes days when a hot shower and brazilian hazelnut coffee and 5 chapters in Exodus didn’t lift my mood. Neither did the cinnamon toast crunch nor the watching of The Wizard of Oz with the kids.

I shouldn’t have been surprised when the day kept going the same way, when the children kept bickering, when I kept wanting to hide in a hole until the day was over and come out after the coast was clear. But I guess I’m not all that bright – because I keep asking “where did that come from??” So yeah – I guess I’m a little slow.

Obviously… I am not slow enough. Not slow enough to anger. Not slow enough to speak. Not slow enough to pause and reflect and react in the spirit rather than the flesh.

Being the mature one stinks – can I throw a fit for what I want, too?? No. Being the mature one is the right thing to do. Of course. I have to be the parent. I have to be mature. I have listen to the Spirit and seek the Word and lean on God.

I should have known. So why do I forget, why do I give in so easily? Perhaps because I had such high hopes for the day. And I tend to react childishly when things don’t go my way.

My house isn’t any cleaner (it might actually be worse.)

My errands haven’t been run.

My mood isn’t any better.

On the other hand, school is done, without too much difficulty, in a reasonable amount of time. And for a few minutes, the kids are playing together and getting along. Can’t win every battle, right? Sometimes it might be wisest to call a truce. Which translated means:

Order a pizza, make hot chocolate and listen to Christmas music (while trying to get them to dance clean and hoping for the best.)

This month’s free download from Christian Audio is John Piper’s Desiring God. Not a book for casual perusal, some will find it a bit difficult to read, I found it intriguing, exciting and rich in food for thought.

For the month of November, you can download an audio version completely for free!

From the Christian Audio newsletter:

Desiring God by John Piper is the free audiobook download for November; one of the best-selling and most popular titles ever published by christianaudio!

Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn’t truly exist: Delight is our duty. Join him as he unveils stunning, life impacting truths you saw in the Bible but never dared to believe.

Desiring God Ministries was founded in 1994 by Pastor John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN. Desiring God exists to say that God’s ultimate goal is to glorify himself. Everything they do aims to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. Learn how they accomplish that and how you can join in the mission at www.desiringgod.org

We went through this book in our bible study several years ago, and if you haven’t read it, I definitely recommend it. You can:

1. Download the audio version here, REMEMBER to use code NOV2009.
2. Purchase the print version of Desiring God from Amazon.

This is only available until the end of November. Regular download price is $16.98. Also throughout November, all of Piper’s other audio books are for sale for only $4.98 each.

As Christians we are called to have a heart that gives and serves gladly-all year round. Yet giving really takes the spotlight during the holidays. I try to encourage my children to be giving and to meet needs whenever they see them:

Proverbs 3:27 – Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.

Of course they are KIDS and often forget this admonishment; they must be frequently reminded that if they can help their sister/brother then they should go ahead and do it.

At Christmas I like to encourage my children to participate in Operation Christmas Child to not only teach my children about giving, and thinking of others, but also to try to combat some of the “gimme, gimmes” that so easily overtakes young minds (and some adult ones) this time of year. It’s harder to think selfishly while thinking selflessly.

Yesterday I took the kids to the dollar store to choose our items for their three O.C.C. boxes. They are each going to send a box to a child of the same sex and age as themselves, so they each spent some time picking out things they themselves would like to have – while bearing in mind that they weren’t going to get to keep them but rather were going to give them away.

It took Little Prince (who will be 4 in 3 weeks) a few minutes to catch on, but soon he was saying. “And THIS is for my boy! And THIS is for my boy!” Even Princess, 9 and a half, looked at me once and asked with a little longing in her voice, “Mom, can I have a Polly Pocket for Christmas, TOO?” But I was very proud of them for throwing themselves into it so eagerly and cheerfully picking out things they imagined some other child would enjoy instead of them.

Arriving home with our purchases provided new challenges. Little Prince completely attached himself to one item. At first I tried to reason with him while firmly and gently put my foot down. “No, you may not keep these dinosaurs, we bought them for the boy. If you would like some dinosaurs, you MAY ask for some for your birthday very soon. Would you like to ask for dinosaurs for your birthday?” He agreed and reluctantly added the little package of plastic dinosaurs to the box.

Minutes later, we experienced one of the worst meltdowns I have ever seen. The fury in his eyes sparkled as he wrestled over his desire for those little dinosaurs. I know that he can’t really grasp “three weeks from now”.. but I know that he has a memory like an elephant and he can hold on to the hope of that special birthday present. I also know that there is a deeper lesson in here that we can all learn from – how hard it is to let go of something we desire in order to serve and love others!

This morning he asked me about them one more time. He mentioned again that he wanted to keep them, I mentioned again that we bought them for the boy and that I agreed to get him some for his birthday– and that was the end of it. From having done this with my two older girls already, I have no doubt that next Christmas he will remember the little shoe boxes, and he’ll remember what they are for and how it works. He may or may not remember the dinosaurs but the seeds of giving have been planted and will continue to grow if nurtured.

This year we plan on including notes and pictures. We’ve never done this before, and I look forward to to seeing if we receive letters back. How exciting it will be if we do!

Samaritan’s Purse, who runs Operation Christmas Child, ministers to children and families around the world all year long. There are many opportunites to give and serve from January to December. At this point, our family has only participated through O.C.C., but it’s my hope that as our family grows, as God blesses our resources, and as He changes our hearts, I hope we’ll be able to give more often, more frequently throughout the year.

For Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse does more than hand them a box and walk away. From their site:

The Operation Christmas Child ministry extends far beyond a gift-filled shoe box. A primary goal of the project is to offer children the opportunity to participate in the Operation Christmas Child Discipleship Program, and to give every graduate a New Testament in their local language. In 2009-2010, an estimated 1.9 million children will have the opportunity to participate in the program, with an estimated 1.2 million of these boys and girls completing the series of Bible lessons. These discipleship materials are used by local churches as effective resources to show children how to come into relationship with God, to explore His Word, and to encourage children to grow in their faith.

If you would like to learn more about Samaritan’s Purse, or Operation Christmas Child, check out their website, http://www.samaritanspurse.org. Click here to find a drop off location near you, or here to learn more about EZ Give.

Proverbs 11:23-25 The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

I also uploaded pictures of our “operation” to the Classic Housewife fan page.