My 2011 Reading List...So Far

2011

þ Developing the Leader Within -John Maxwell

þ Motherhood the Guilt that Keeps on Giving

þ The Girl…books – Steig Larsson

þ Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne

¨ Three Cups of Tea - David Relin

þ Pagan Christianity- Frank Viola &George Barna

¨ The Pursuit of God – A W Tozer

þ Blue Like Jazz – Donald Miller

¨ Velvet Elvis – Rob Bell

þ Love Wins – Rob Bell

¨ Jesus for President – Shane Claiborne

þ And the Shofar Blew – Francine Rivers

þ The Bonsai Conspiracy – Paul Anderson-Walsh

þ A New Kind of Christianity – Brian D McLaren

þ Chazown – Craig Groeschel

¨ Weird – Craig Groeschel

þ The Well Trained Mind – Wise-Bauer

þ Billy -

¨ Just As I Am – Billy Graham

þ Homeschooling Companion

¨ Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

¨ Crazy Love – Francis Chan

þ Revolution – George Barna

¨ A Charlotte Mason Companion

¨ The Power of a Whisper – Bill Hybels

¨ Choosing to See – Mary Beth Chapman

¨ Love Revolution – Joyce Meyer

þ Large Family Logistics

þ Homewarming – Emilie Barnes

þ Driven By Eternity - John Bevere

þ Coaching Your Kids to Be Leaders

¨ Finding Organic Church – Frank Viola

þ The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis

¨ The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness

þ Inside My Heart - Robin McGraw

¨ King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table - Roger Lancelyn Green

¨ My Hearts Cry - Anne Graham Lotz

¨ The Power of Respect - Deborah Norville

¨ Free - the Future of a Radical Price - Chris Anderson

¨ Pursuing More of Jesus - Anne Graham Lotz

¨ The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell

Possibilities

¨ The Starfish and the Spider - Ori Brafman

¨ Organic Disciplemaking - Dennis McCallum

¨ The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

¨ A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

¨ Not for Sale - David Batsone

¨ While Europe Slept - Bruce Bawer

¨ Einstein - Walter Isaacson

¨ 5 Dysfunctions of a Team- Patrick Lencioni

¨ A Tale of Three Kings- Gene Edwards

¨ Prisoner in the Third Cell-Gene Edwards

¨ Breakfast of Champions- Kurt Vonnegut

¨ SlaughterHouse-Five- Kurt Vonnegut

¨ King Leopold's Ghost-Adam Hochschild

¨ The Ascent of Money- Niall Ferguson

¨ Green - Ted Dekker

¨ A Briefer History of Time – Stephen Hawking

¨ A Short History of Everything - Bill Bryson

¨ Infidel - Ayaan Hisi Ali

¨ Tides of War - Steven Pressfield

¨ Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield

¨ Same Kind of Different as Me - Ron Hall

¨ Team of Rivals - Doris Goodwin

¨ Strengths Finder - Tom Rath

¨ Adam's Return - Richard Rohr

¨ A Generous Orthodoxy - Brian McLaren

¨ Spiritual Slavery to Sonship - Jack Frost

¨ No Perfect People Allowed - John Burke

¨ The Organic Church – Neil Cole

¨ Becoming A True Sp. Community - Larry Crabb

¨ Adam's Return- Richard Rohr

What we've been up to...

For the past few weeks I've been avoiding the real topic I wanted to write about, that would be about the major changes in our lives here at the Heaslip Homestead.

Back in March I resigned from full time ministry...it had been a 17 year journey since my first forray into "ministry" and most of it was great. So why leave you may ask? It was a few things, it was a lot of things...

Mostly, it was my kids, my family, my lifestyle. The busy, busy, busy was just too, too much. We had in "faith" become overstretched in our time, our finances, our attention... everything really. Over the years there was this whisper in my heart to make changes... I first remember hearing it just after I became pregnant with Lucas (who just turned 7 in February). The last couple years that whisper had turned into a blaring siren inside of me that couldn't be ignored. There were other whispered questions too, but that's for another blog entry.

So anyways, we made the leap.

That led to many changes for now, and in the future.

Change 1

We had planned for me to continue working until the summer, but our plans were changed and i was done in March. I became a full time "home engineer". I LOVE IT. Golly gee, I was ready. The sense of peace that I have in my heart and in my home is just so...awesome. Yes, I've attacked my home with a fervour - cleaning, reorganizing, cooking, gardening... yep, loving it still.

Change 2

Christian School. For the time being we live each day trusting God for our boys to be able to finish out the year at their Christian School and help us figure out a way to finish paying for it.

Change 3

After that we'll be a homeschooling family. I had visited my dear dear friend Lauren (a new blogger woohoo!) in the sunny south. She is a homeschooler (to boys) and I wanted to get a closeup look at how she does it...and after just four days I was basically sold. (I also did a truckload of research on my own, joined a couple support groups, met up with some fellow newbies, went to a conference...) The fact that Chris was supportive of the notion before I even was, helped a lot too.

Change 4

I have spent the past 3 months or so RECONNECTING. In working and being full time mommy and wife (plus having investments and a business to run - we sold it the same month) i always tried to stay connected, but we all have a limit, and I was pushing mine. I've enjoyed more time with my husband and boys, and I enjoyed celebrating one of the best Easters ever, and Mother's Day and a few birthdays etc, with my extended family - being able to worship where they chose to and not having to rush in or out was sooo nice! I've also been proactively trying to connect with people who we've lost touch with over the years, mostly because of those invisible lines created when people choose to go to another "church". I also joined a Mom's group at another local church where I knew a few of the ladies and it's been a real blessing to me.

Change 5

With my work with "ministry" being done and my newfound sense of freedom, I began reading voraciously (I'm talking a good 15 to 20 non-fiction books in a 2 month period (I did read a couple fiction too - just to give my brain a break). Some of the books were clearly controversial, some were challenging and others were just so amazing. It was really in response to those "other whispers" i was talking about. So, this led to our season of "de-churching" - we still fellowship regularly with other believers, but it is not in a traditional sense, and it's included our church (which we still consider ourselves a part of) but also other churches, and other gatherings as well...as the Spirit leads. I have not felt so alive as a believer since i first heard the message of God's grace...and probably more so now.

I guess that's the main summary of what we've been up to. I know there are a few more little changes on the horizon, but the most amazing part is that we are not alone, and that we can't get lost when the Saviour is leading us by the hand :)

What about you? Any changes going on in your world you want to share?

My latest Read...

I found this book to be so good. It has been the latest of several that have taken me on a ride through the Bible and turned my world upside down...

Excerpt from "Revolution" by George Barna (*my revisions)

I am a Revolutionary in the service of God Almighty.

My life is not my own;

I exist as a free person

but have voluntarily become a slave to God.

My role on earth is to live as a Revolutionary,

committed to love,

holiness, and advancing God's Kingdom.

My life is not about me and my natural desires;

it is all about knowing, loving, and serving God

with all my heart, mind, strength, and soul.

Therefore, I acknowledge the following:

I was a sinner*; broken by my disobedience

BUT have been* restored by Jesus Christ

in order to participate in good works that please God.

I in myself* am not perfect;

but Jesus Christ makes me righteous in God's eyes,

and the Holy Spirit leads me toward a

greater knowledge of who I am IN CHRIST.

God created me for His purposes.

My desire as a Revolutionary is to fulfill those ends,

and those ends alone.

When I get out of bed each day, I do so for one purpose:

to love, obey, and serve God and His people.

Every breath I take is a declaration of war against Satan

and a commitment to opposing him.

God does not need me to fight His fight,

but He invites me to allow

Him to fight through me.

It is my privilege to serve Him in that manner.

I anticipate

and will gladly endure

various hardships as I serve God;

for this is the price of participation

in winning the spiritual war.

I do not need to save the world;

Jesus Christ has already done that.

I cannot transform the world,

but I can allow God to use me to transform some part of it.

My commitment to the Revolution of faith is sealed

by my complete surrender to God's ways and His Will.

I

will gratefully do what He asks of me simply because

He loves me enough to ask. I gain my security, success,

and significance through my surrender to Him.

I am not called to attend or join a church.

I am called to BE THE CHURCH.

Worship is not an event I attend or a process I observe;

it is the lifestyle I lead.

I do not give away 10 percent of my resources.

I SURRENDER 100 PERCENT.

God has given me natural abilities and supernatural abilities,

all intended to advance His Kingdom.

I will deploy those abilities for that purpose.

The proof of my status as a Revolutionary

is the love I show to God and people.

There is strength in relationships;

I am bound at a heart and soul level to other Revolutionaries,

and I will bless believers whenever I have the chance.

To achieve victory in the spiritual war in which we are immersed,

there is nothing I must accomplish;

I

must simply follow Christ with everything I have.

This is no greater calling than to know and serve God.

The world is desperately seeking meaning and purpose.

I will respond to that need with the Good News

and meaningful service.

Absolute moral and spiritual truth exists, is knowable,

and is intended for my life;

it is accessible through the Bible.

I want nothing more than to hear God say to me,

"Well done, My good and faithful servant."

We surrounded him...

3 years ago I witnessed a life pass from time into eternity.

The memory of it has been burned into my soul, my heart, my mind.

Death would soon usher my dad into another state of being.

Having said our goodbyes, we could not leave him alone.

My sisters and I, our husbands and my mom

Surrounded his hospital bed.

His breathing was ragged.

He was still fighting to live more days on the earth.

Helpless, the time had come.

We did what we knew, we surrounded him.

We surrounded him with love.

We surrounded him with our voices, singing.

Songs of praise, of worship, of faith, hope and love.

We were timid at first, emotions overwhelming.

But as we sang, we could not help but turn our eyes

to the One who conquered death.

The noises outside the room faded away...

Our voices grew stronger...

Eventually we knew that we ourselves were "in between",

neither here nor there.

His breathing became easier now, softer.

Perhaps his breathing matched the phrasing of the hymns we sang...

Perhaps his breath was being "caught away"

as his body became unnecessary for truly living...

Perhaps he could not tell the difference between our voices

and the voices of angels who had come to carry him over...

And then... the moment had come and gone...

and still...

We could not help but turn our eyes

to the One who conquered death.

There was no sting, and the victory was not held by death,

but by the author of Life.

Dad passed over into eternity surrounded by love,

Surrounded by the songs of heaven.

Surrounded.

I cannot speak for the others...

But I caught a glimpse of something...

something, maybe someOne that took my breath away...

I've never been the same...

In remembrance - May 16th, 2008.

Aristotelis Bolovinos

We love and miss you daddy Y

"If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If i make my bed in hell, behold You are there,

If I take the wings of the morning,

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me...

...Lead me in the way everlasting."

Ps 139:8-10; 24b

Happy Mother's Day!

This is a repost from one of the first blog entries I wrote back in 2008. but I still feel the same way now as I did then so in honour of Mother's Day and mom's everywhere...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Most days I feel that I'm living my best days yet. That everything I've done in my short life before this - was not quite as good as this. This includes all the travelling, the mentoring, teaching, running retreats, volunteering, singing, performing...all of it.

Everyday, I wake up and I am a hero. I am a hero in just making toast with peanut butter. I am a hero in that I can figure out how to find and work the tv remote on demand. I am a hero because I can create FUN out of nothing. The rewards are endless - I get multitudes of kisses all day long, and better still, my kisses have become magical, they now have healing powers over a variety of ailments and emotional hurts. I get to take naps and I get to play in snow banks. I love to cook and I get to do it all day - even though I usually only have one customer who'll eat my meals (Chris) -it's still fun practising for the day that my home is filled with giant teenage boys who are never full (this I'm told from my mentors - mothers with grown sons).

I get to show my boys the world - and they are excited over "big hills", train tracks and the lake. We take frequent trips with our imaginations too. Yesterday, at bedtime, I was Queen of a faraway kingdom with my two handsome prinnces (no mommy, I'm the brave knight - corrected Lucas), and Chris was the big King. I've never had a more captive audience to all my random comments, and they usually come back to me - "oh gosh", "crap!", and "give me a break"...umhmmm

To be sure, I'm faced with daily challenges, but these challenges are not just external, they are 100% internal too - my heart is examined and exposed all the time. My spiritual and psychological research is immediately implemented and therefore my growth is exponentially guaranteed - and there is no hiding - I cannot blame my children for my failures, rather I accept them and lean on the Lord to strengthen me, to bring me to peace again, to be my joy in the midst of adversity and HE IS. I don't know what I did before this that I thought was so important, having kids has brought me right into the middle of LIFE - the simplist things are the most enjoyable things.

Hugs, blankets, baths, coffee, a cookie (or 10), a casual phone call, a walk, singing a song, playing in dirt, a picture book, a flower, love letters, sitting in a sunbeam, a purring cat, babies, smiles, sleeping children, candlelight, "I love you's", and enjoying the four seasons up close and personal. I hope I never grow up and lose sight of how grand my life is.

3 in 30 April Week Three & Four

APRIL WEEK TWO - Encouragement and Looking Ahead

Well, as you can tell, i missed last Fridays Check In I'm doing two weeks worth in this post...

1. Something that needs to be done daily (Stop, Start or Continue)

Go for a walk, or some form of exercise each day, as I continue to drink more water. This goal has been a bit of a hit and miss,

we've had rain and I've been very unmotivated, I chose to stay in

and read...ALOT.

2.

One time practical project that needs to be knocked off the 2011 list.

Paint the Downstairs Bathroom

Again I have not done this because of the reading...

3.

Personal Creative Project

Bake bread (from scratch); Up my blogging to twice a week consistently.

I did attempt braided Easter Bread, I'm doubting it will turn out as it didn't seem to be rising properly.

I also did not up my blogging, but I plan on it.

You sure you want a Revolution? - Part One

Just watched this video and this one. It's funny how when you are ready, the things you need to hear and read and see are there, the things you need in order to be changed and renewed, which were just out of reach - are suddenly rushing in abundantly...

After reading the book: Irresistible Revolution

(thanks for the referral Stephanie, you should have warned me not to listen to the book while driving :)

My mind is swirling and my heart is pounding... I've felt this shift inside me coming for a long time now, but it's starting to take shape...starting to...

Fav. Quotes...

"The more I get to know Jesus, the more trouble he seems to get me into."

"To refer to the Church as a building is to call people 2 x 4's."

"Most good things have been said far too many times and just need to be lived."

"And I think that's what our world is desperately in need of - lovers, people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way, and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issues they are concerned about."

Mother Theresa always said, "Calcuttas are everywhere if only we have eyes to see. Find your Calcutta."

Biological family is too small of a vision. Patriotism is far too myopic. A love for our own relatives and a love for the people of our own country are not bad things, but our love does not stop at the border."

"I asked participants who claimed to be "strong followers of Jesus" whether Jesus spent time with the poor. Nearly 80 percent said yes. Later in the survey, I sneaked in another question, I asked this same group of strong followers whether they spent time wit the poor, and less than 2 percent said they did. I learned a powerful lesson: We can admire and worship Jesus without doing what he did. We can applaud what he preached and stood for without caring about the same things. We can adore his cross without taking up ours. I had come to see that the great tragedy of the church is not that rich Christians do not care about the poor but that rich Christians do not know the poor."

"For even if the whole world believed in resurrection, little would change until we began to practice it. We can believe in CPR, but people will remain dead until someone breathes new life into them. And we can tell the world that there is life after death, but the world really seems to be wondering if there is life before death."

This of course is on the heals of reading about the life of Billy Graham who was a radical in his own right...

Billy - The Untold Story... Just As I Am

Some Fav. Quotes...

Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion - it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.

Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children.

The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless.

The men who followed Him were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same
.

I want to live my life authentically. The reality of my very real relationship with Christ clearly evident. I want it to matter in light of eternity...knowing this, some things are going to change.