The New Year began with Connor staying up until midnight for the first time. He shared sparkling cider with us and celebrated New Years Eve. His profound comment after the ball dropped, we cheered and toasted our cider, was; "Is this all there is? Do we get presents?!"

2008 is the gift. It's a chance to start new, leave behind the old things and keep only what is wise and beneficial. One thing I am definitely holding onto is my love for dead authors!

Lately, I've been on a Jane Austen kick. December's book was Persuasion, and this month, I'm reading Emma. How delightful that PBS is featuring her books on Masterpiece Theatre for the last and next few weeks! You really must pick up one of her books or check out the series on PBS. My next book of hers will be Pride and Prejudice - I'll give you a 'taste' of it in next month's Java.

We also finally did our very first Fresh Grounded Faith event in Waco, Texas at the end of this month. Wow. It was an extra shot, extra hot venté amount of fun and inspiration. The women of Waco who worked on the conference were beautiful and I am grateful for each one.

Anita Renfroe was too funny for words. She really is a witty and smart woman. One of the highlights of the conference was sharing a live version of "Spill the Beans" with her. The audience was full of great questions and Anita was full of...uh...something...oh yeah, great answers!

Shelley Jennings filled our cups with her moving songwriting and singing...you really must hear my 2 favorite songs of hers: 'Invitation to the Thirsty' and 'My Prayer for You.' Oh man, you will be blessed.

Now, I have one more simple goal to fulfill before spring. I must put the new set of Leopard sheets I got for Christmas on the guest bed! My friend Kellie guaranteed they would look great. If you come visit, be prepared for a "wild" night!

So give these things a taste test:

1. Emma or Pride and Prejudice (if you want to read Austen's books along with me)

2. Masterpiece Theatre

3. Anita Renfroe's videos and books

4. Shelley Jenning's music

5. Leopard Sheets

"There are three levels of existence," my brother observed as he cleared the dishes from Christmas dinner. He went to the stereo and turned down Johnny Cash, who was crooning in the background, and settled in a creaky chair near me to finish his thought. "Doing, having, and being." His commentary came after he and I had been musing over what it meant to be real. It's interesting how much of life can be discovered over strong coffee and my mother's pound cake.

Lawson is my middle brother. He's a middle-aged surfer/philosopher! A counselor by training, he lives on a sleepy lake in central Florida and surfs as much as he can while still remaining gainfully employed! He listens to groovy music and thinks about life in an interesting way. So, when he blurts out some "sleepy-lake, surf-dog" observation, this "city-dwelling, mall-walking chick" listens!

Many of us think we live a "real life" when actually we just "do" and "have." There is a difference. Doing and having are not the same as living.

Doing is important. It's one of the ways we express life, fulfill passion, and even meet needs. We "do" our jobs, we "do" our duties, and we "do" our habits. Jobs, duties, and habits include myriad things such as working, parenting, cleaning, shopping, driving, traveling, volunteering, helping, jogging, writing, and attending church. You get the idea. Doing is important, but it's not the same as living.

Emily Dickinson once wrote, "To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else." So, if who we are and what we do aren't the same...if "doing" isn't the same as "living," what does it mean to really live? Hmmm...

Having is just part of life. It's essential to "have" shelter, food, and clothing. Even Thoreau had the basics for the two years he sought to discover life while living in a self-made cabin on Walden Pond. But believe me, I am not advocating just the essentials. There is nothing wrong with having material items that bring comfort and convenience to our lives.

We "have" homes, cars, clothes, shoes, and more shoes, and even more shoes, furniture, home décor, collections, and hundreds of other possessions that would no longer exist if flood or fire prevailed. The things we have, though, should not constitute the substance of our lives. We are not "what" we have. So, if what we have is not the same as who we are...if having is not the same as living, what does it mean to really live? Hmmm...

Jesus compared really living to a seed dying; "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. " (John 12:24) Is it really possible that real life is found in brokenness and self-abandonment?

"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his own soul?" (Matt 16:25,26)

A well-lived life, a life Lawson describes as real, is a life not characterized by what you have or do. Real life is not measured by a fulfilled "to do" list, nor is it measured by the stuff we possess. It is determined by a "Velveteen Rabbit standard." You know you're living a real life when it's well squandered.

"We are warmed by the fire, not by the smoke of the fire. We are carried over the sea by a ship, not by the wake of a ship. So, too, what we are is to be sought in the invisible depths of our own being, not in our outward reflection in our own acts. We must find our real selves not in the froth stirred up by the impact of our being upon the beings around us, but in our own soul which is the principle of all our acts." - Thomas Merton

Well...that's what's been percolating in me lately!

- Jennifer

Question:

I, like you, love art. I knew from the time I was 10 that art would have a significant part of my life forever (assuming 'forever' were up to me). For years, I've prayed "Lord, please don't ever take my sight." Seeing artwork, including God's in every sunset is what fills my cup.

Is the lack of artwork one of the greatest heart-breaking parts of your blindness? I honestly don't know how - or can't fathom how - I could deal with that.

So, from one "artsy" gal to another, how did God help you deal with this?

I appreciate you. - Wanda

Answer:

You are right. Not seeing art (both human and Divine) is one of the hardest losses of blindness. God has done 2 distinct things to help me with this loss. First, He gave me a memory that still sees 20/20!

Because I had an artist's eye when I could see and because my mom trained me to see as an artist, I have details preserved in my minds eye that some people never see with perfect vision even when they look! I still see warm orangey tones on the skin of a tomato when I pick one up. I still see sunlight like broken diamonds dancing on the surface of water when I stand by the ocean. Some people never behold that beauty even when they stare at it. Isn't God good to me?!

Secondly, God has quickened my mind to see the beauty of language. Words draw pictures for me. They have texture, depth and color just as beautiful as that which is captured by a paintbrush on canvas. Words are art to me now. I may have never seen the astounding splendor of literature and poetry if blindness hadn't given me the chance. Thank You, God.

And now, the beans are officially spilled!

 

1. I am working on a Bible study to be published by Lifeway in early '09. Whoo! Hoo! The purpose will be to help women speak Truth to their souls. Pray for me to be creative and fresh, and to meet felt needs of women through God's Word.

2. Thank you for praying for our first Fresh Grounded Faith Conference in Waco. It was amazing. God did more than we could have asked. Please continue praying for the future FGF Conferences. I sense God is working through this new offering.

3. It looks like Clay is going to be a student on the campus of Baylor University in the fall, - the college choice has been made. Thanks for praying. Please continue to remember our family during this special time. It's busy and emotional, and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

I deeply appreciate your prayers. Bless you

- Jennifer

 

This month's winner is Margaret K. from Charlotte, NC (martin250@...)

Margaret wins one of our NEW Fresh Grounded Faith Handbags. Each handbag comes with a complimentary Walking By Faith DVD inside!

Congratulations, Margaret! Please email us your mailing address.

Each month we give away something from the JenniferRothschild.com Store. All you have to do is click on the link below to let us know you were here. Your name will automatically be added to a random drawing to win. Then read the next month's email to see if your name was picked!

 

THREE books for the price of TWO!

In our February Special, we'll include a complimentary copy of Fingerprints of God with each order of two or more Self Talk, Soul Talk books! (one complimentary Fingerprints of God per shipping address)

Fingerprints of God reveals the ways you can recognize God's tender touch on your life.

Jennifer's latest release, Self Talk, Soul Talk, will help you clean out negative self talk and fill your 'thought closet' with positive soul talk instead.

Click here for this Special Offer!

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