Jen Russum

Flowers Fade Friday: Limping

Flowers Fade Friday: Limping

I always loved the stories of the prophets Elijah and Elisha when I was little. I remember to this day that Elijah came first because "j" comes before "sh" {their alphabetical order matches their chronological order}. Elijah is the one who told the widow that her grain and oil containers would not empty until famine had left the land and he also raised the widow's son back to life. Eventually, Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind and Elisha took his place to perform more miracles and proclaim God's truth in a time when Israel was acting very sinfully. So when I recently got to the place in I Kings where Elijah is introduced, the third grader in me got excited as I remembered Sunday school felt boards and big pictures of Bible stories from long ago. Elijah speaks the truth, not only to my elementary school self, but to the adult me as well. Although I didn't understand it well when I was eight years old, Elijah was given the weighty ministry of prophesying to Israel's defiant king Ahab and telling him to stop the abominable idol worship that was taking place all over the kingdom. Elijah comes to Ahab and says boldly "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." Of course, Ahab and the rest of these idol worshipers did not listen. But as I read these words, I was struck by the truth that I am all too often an Ahab limping between two gods... I know the Lord and I love Him, but how many other gods does my heart chase after? The gods of perfection, comfort, worldly security, being well liked, having good friends, and maintaining a certain image... these are the Baals of my heart. And while I have come a long way in many of these areas (by the grace of God alone), these gods are still there in the background calling out my name... And what happens when I listen to their voices? I limp. As I waver back and forth between the true God and the myriad of false gods all around, I stagger and limp like a drunkard. I have no clear direction. I don't know where I am going. My walk is unsteady and I risk falling hard at any second as I wander to and fro. Elijah speaks the truth. We can't walk boldly or confidently when we are limping after idols. We walk crookedly as we try tear our hearts in two. When we try to love God and our false gods, we don't accomplish anything. We don't get anywhere. But there is no need to limp, Child of God. There is no need to wander. I must remind myself that I have something that is far more beautiful than the gods of comfort, security, beauty, and perfection combined. My God is Jesus, the founder and perfecter of  my faith. When I fix my eyes on him, my path becomes clear and my steps become strong and steady. Those little gods fade further into the background as I walk joyfully on the straight and narrow path striving toward the One who loved me and gave himself up for me. And my hope is the same for you... there is no need to limp, precious friend, when you can run with confidence to the throne of Christ. ... Read more

Down under.

It's true!!! We are going to... {via} After a year of planning, dreaming, scheming and saving our pennies {quite literally... in a jar in our closet}, we finally booked tickets to fly down under and spend our December in Aussie! We will be flying into... {via} And road-tripping up the Gold Coast to... {via} And we are hoping to do a lot of this along the way... {via} And this too... {via} And we also hope to sneak up the Sunshine Coast and visit the... {via} But we need your help! Our tickets are purchased, but we need to know what to do, where to stay, and what to eat while we are there. If you have ever visited Australia or if you've ever lived there, we would love your tips! And of course, any suggestions on how to save money while we are there would be super appreciated, since it's such an expensive place. In the words of an Australian, we are keen to save money while we are there! We are so excited and incredibly grateful for this opportunity! Can't wait to hear your thoughts and advice! XOXO! ... Read more

Work. Space.

Work. Space.

My work space a few weeks ago... Lately, I find myself fascinated with work spaces. As I get closer to the time when I will be writing my dissertation, my work space seems more and more important. I am about to be done with the "taking classes" part of my education and instead I need a place where I can work independently and write prolifically on my own. I need a place where I my head stays clear, I can't see distractions, and where the words flow easily from my mind to my fingertips and out onto the glowing computer page in front of me. {via} I have a desk in our bedroom, but I never use it. It's basically become Micah's work space, even though it's decorated with all my girly stuff. Instead, I usually find myself sprawled out on the kitchen table, books, notebooks, pens and post-its all around. Usually you will find my water bottle and phone nearby and perhaps a half-eaten bowl of granola while I pound away at the keys. I love this space in the early morning as the sun rises over the mountain behind our house. I love the peace and quiet as I write with the sunlight slowly filling our back windows while everyone in the house is still sleeping. But this spot only works for so long. Once people in the house wake up, they trudge into the kitchen for breakfast, thereby ending my morning solace. And once the daylight enters in completely I see all too well the other things that need to be done around the house... the dishwasher that needs unloading, the floors that need to be swept. The gentle dawn that hid the distractions is gone and all I see is one crumb after another calling me from my work.... My neglected little desk... The current state of my work space as I write this post... I want to create a better work space and work routine for myself, but I'm not sure where to start. What does your work space look like? What does your routine look like when you get into the zone with your work? I would love any insights you have to share! {via} {via} {via} Until I hear back from you, I will be perusing this tumblr that curates beautiful photos of people's work spaces... ... Read more