Author Archives: Becky Pliego

About Becky Pliego

I am grateful because God, in His grace, called me out of darkness and into his admirable light. When I did not look for Him, He found me. When I was in a pit of sin, He rescued me. I am not walking this road alone, my family is always with me, and we love Him, because He loved us first.

Ulysses, Sirens, and Marriage

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From my reading corner,  a beautiful analogy on marriage:

“When Ulysses was traveling to the island of the Sirens, he knew that he would go mad when he heard the voices of the women on the rocks. He also learned that the insanity would be temporary, lasting until he could get out of earshot. he didn’t want to do something while temporarily insane that would have permanent bad consequences. So he put wax in the ears of his sailors, tied himself to the mast, and told his men to keep him on course no matter what he yelled.

What can keep marriages together during the rough patches? The vows. A public oath, made to the world keeps you ‘tied to the mast’ until your mind clears and you begin to understand things better. It keeps you in the relationship when your feelings flag, and flag they will.”

Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage

 
Becky

You can read another good quote from this same book on my other blog.

A Poem for Little Souls: The Lord’s Day Evening

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Lord, how delightful ’tis to see
A whole assembly worship thee!
At once they sing, at once they pray;
They hear of heaven, and learn the way.

I have been there, and still would go,
‘Tis like a little heaven below;
Not all my pleasure and my play
Shall tempt me to forget this day.

Oh, write upon my memory, Lord,
The texts and doctrines of thy word;
That I may break thy laws no more,
But love thee better than before.

With thoughts of Christ, and things divine
Fill up this foolish heart of mine;
That, hoping pardon through his blood,
I may lie down and wake with God.

Isaac Watts
Divine and Moral Songs for Children

May the Lord bless you this day, dear friends.
Becky

Also by Isaac Watts, A Poem for Little Souls: The Lord’s Day Morning

For the Imperfect Moms -Like Me-

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That unnameable quality has descended upon the household; when summer crashes hard and school quietly yearns in our bones. Elizabeth DeBarros

Tomorrow we start school; the books are waiting to be opened, and a new school year is awaiting for us. It has been many years since we started homeschooling our children, and to think that our oldest is now starting his second year in college is unbelievable. And yet, I find myself having the same thoughts I have had for more than ten years at this time of the year: I am so imperfect, how am I going to do this?

But God has the answer to all my imperfections, to my shortcomings, to my doubts:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

As I read this verse, I breath in grace. How wonderful it is to be reminded that it is He the One who sustains me in this journey. It is because of Him that I can start the race, run, and finish it well.

Someone once said -and I have never forgotten those words,- that the moment we stop seeing the education of our children as a Giant is because we have forgotten how important it is. I agree, and at the same time we all know that a Giant is impossible to conquer without fighting. This is where I find the crux of the matter: the battle against the Giant is not fought on my own strength; it is always fought with the power of Christ, with His grace that is made perfect in my weaknesses, in my imperfections.

And so I put on the last books on the shelves, and sharpen the pencils, and get on my knees.

May we all learn to depend on His grace as we fight the Giant.

Becky

 

 

A Poem for Little Souls: The Lord’s Day Morning by Isaac Watts.

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This is the day when Christ arose
So early from the dead;
Why should I keep my eyelids closed,
And waste my hours in bed?

This is the day when Jesus broke
The powers of death and hell;
And shall I wear Satan’s yoke,
And love my sins so well?

To-day with pleasure Christians meet,
To pray and hear thy Word;
And I would go with cheerful feet,
To learn thy will, O Lord.

I’ll leave my sport to read and pray,
And so prepare for heaven;
Oh, may I love this blessed day
The best of all the seven!

Isaac Watts
Divine and Moral Songs from Children

Have a blessed Lord’s Day, dear friends.

 

Becky

Heartbeat by Sharon Creech -My Review-

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HeartbeatHeartbeat by Sharon Creech

My review -is this really a review? I am not sure-.

I cried
cried,
cried.
The kind of cry
that closes your
throat
and will not let you speak.

My little one
and I
curled together,
we both loved the book.

We are buying an apple,
and choosing a list
of many forbidden words.
We will take out our thesaurus
and we’ll write,
write,
write.

I closed the book
and looked at her
I don’t really want her to run.
But I know she will,
and I will see her running,
and I will cheer her,
and I will be there,
and I will love her
very, very, very much.

View all my reviews

Becky

He Came to Save -Notes From Galatians-

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Monergism Books

I am now studying Galatians using The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary: Galatians by J.V. Fesko. And every time I come to this epistle, I am grateful to be reminded that salvation is by grace alone and not by our own efforts; that I did not gave Him the opportunity to save me, that it was not me choosing Him or opening the door of my heart to Him. He called me and I could not resist His amazing Grace.

Galatians 2: 21 says,

“We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.”

Vesko comments,

“If the believer’s justification is based upon the work of Christ and the obedience of the believer, then  Christ came in vain. In other words, the work of Christ is insufficient to save and requires augmentation -the addition of the believer’s obedience. If the false teachers are correct, then Christ did not secure salvation for anyone, but only the possibility or opportunity for salvation to those willing to complete their salvation with their own good works. This, however, is the farthest from the truth. This is why Paul calls the Galatians heresy a false gospel. Christ did not come to give people their possibility or the chance at salvation; he came to save his people from the wrath of God: actually, finally, completely, eternally, and immutably.” (emphasis mine)

I can only say, Amen and Amen! All glory be to God who saves!

Becky