Altrogge Family

This week I have found great encouragement in my husband's beautiful song, "I Will Cast My Cares" from In A Little While, as I have been tired and had a headache. I have memories of hearing him write this song in our living room and now am reminded of the truth in I Peter 5:7, "Casting all your cares on Him, because He cares for you," as I hear the finished product.

Corny, and yet so very funny...click here.

For the second year in a row, Stephen and I went to Gamble Christmas Tree Farm, where you take a hayride to the top of the hill, choose a tree for the boy with the chainsaw to cut down and pay for it in the barn at the bottom of the hill. As we were traipsing through the snow, mud and puddles, our eyes were on the lookout for that "perfect tree" from a storybook. We picked one out only to find that the backside, which had been nestled against another tree, was completely dead. The front had looked nicely filled out. Smooth move. The kind workers let us choose another.

Who would have thought it was possible to over-think picking out a Christmas tree. It started to seem as though every tree was "too tall, too wide or too bare." Finally we picked it out. It is a beauty, perfect for our home. If I could use one word to describe the evergreen, it would be "wide." It is certainly tall, but its width makes it look short and stubby. Let's just say I have to think before I run down the stairs and turn the corner, because it protrudes far from the wall. I have a bad feeling about this.

After Stephen and I had our fun, we went to pick-up our baby girl, who is too little to go out in the cold (but we are excited for the day when she will join us). The fun was just starting. She was wide awake and cooing during the decorating and singing of carols with Bing Crosby. Poor Stephen was subjected to my insisting that Christmas music be playing all day long. Is not that what you do on Christmas-tree-decorating-day?

He makes life fun for me. Whenever I sing along, in all seriousness, with Amy Grant, he chimes in making up words and singing off-tune. I act as though I do not like it, but as with all his jokes, it does not take me long to cave and crack-up.

We ended the evening by watching a Christmas movie together. I am pleased to say, that this morning when I woke up, the tree was still standing.

Scripture instructs women to be kind (Titus 2:5). Whenever I read that statement, I had a vague understanding of its definition. I know kindness is a good thing, pleases the Lord and is a fruit of the Spirit working in believers, but what does it look like practically, to be kind?

I have recently been reading a book entitled Spurgeon: A New Biography, by Arnold Dallimore. While Charles Spurgeon's pursuit of the Lord is inspiring, I have also been encouraged by Susannah Spurgeon's example.

When Charles was married at age twenty-two, he was pastoring a church of over two-thousand people, visiting distant churches to preach and writing his first book. I thought our life was busy. Theirs was in a whole other realm of busy. With Charles speaking, traveling and writing so often, I am sure he often returned home to his wife exhausted. He was probably mentally drained from all the preparation for sermons and writing. He was probably physically drained from speaking and traveling. Dallimore said,

"He frequently returned home utterly exhausted, but invariably found loving arms awaiting him amid every possible kindness and comfort."

When Stephen comes home from work, a meeting at church, reaching out to an unsaved friend or spending time with the guys, he is often tired, mentally and physically (always loving and sensitive to me, though). Here is a perfect opportunity for me to welcome him in the door with loving arms and every possible kindness and comfort.

I often give into the temptation to withhold kindness. I must recognize why I am not extending kindness. Am I bitter that he had meetings at Starbucks or does not have energy to do something with me. Am I angry that he spent time with the guys or playing video games? I must fly to the Savior in these moments, to repent of anything that causes me to withhold kindness from Stephen.

Please pray with me, that the Lord would help us grow in loving our husbands this way. If kindness were always "felt," then Scripture would not command wives to be kind to their husbands (Titus 2:5). I want to invariably, or consistently, extend loving arms and show tons of kindness toward Stephen. I want to repent of the sin that hinders me from being kind to my husband when he returns home. I want the same to be said of me, that was of Susannah Spurgeon.

One evening, before waking Charis up for her late night feeding, I decided it was a perfect opportuninty to clip her nails. She was asleep and would never have to know that I finally gave her nails a much needed trim. Her arms were limp and she would not fight my efforts. Now I know why I put it off for so long.

This week, I read an encouraging devotional in Morning and Evening, by C. H. Spurgeon.

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." Ecclesiastes 9:10

"Don't wait for large opportunities, or for a different kind of work, but do just the things we "find to do" day by day. But where is the might of Christians? It is not in ourselves, for we are perfect weakness. Our might lies in the Lord of Hosts. Then let's seek His help; let's proceed with prayer and faith, and when we have done what our "hand finds to do," let's wait upon the Lord for His blessing. What we do in this manner will be well done, and will not fail in its effect."

The Lord gave me a renewed vision for what He values. The work before me is caring for my husband, daughter and home. It is ironing clothes for Stephen to wear to work, bathing our little girl and preparing dinners. I am not to wait for large opportunities to serve or different work, but to do what God has ordained for me today.

I need the Lord's strength. Some days I am bored of monotony. Others, I am experiencing His joy at home. The words of Spurgeon reminded me that I need the Lord at all times, whether I realize it or not, to help me work heartily. I want to wholeheartedly serve Him at home, in serving my family. I so desire His blessing on our family.

The Altrogge's have returned from their vacation from the blogworld. Unfortunately, Stephen got a cold. Following that was Charis' cold, and mine as well. Illness can never strike just one family member. All must be miserable together:) We are on the mend though, slowly but surely. While she was sick, poor Charis also had to get her first shots (notice the neon bandages on her legs). We are grateful to God that we were all well enough to spend Thanksgiving with our families.

The hardest part about honoring my mom, is summing up how her pursuit of the Lord and friendship have influenced me, in one post.

As I am now a wife and mother, I can see with new eyes, how my mom pursues the Lord with all that is within her. Anyone who knows her, knows she possess the fruit of the Spirit, joy. The joy that pervades all that she does, speaks so loudly of the Gospel. She has cared for our family in the mundane, the trying times and the joys. Joy amidst trouble is surely from the Lord. She is always game for a good laugh, too. Proverbs 14:1 says, “A wise woman builds her house.” The ways that she has continually considered our family above her own interests, portrays wisdom that is pleasing to the Lord. What a blessing it is to observe her godly character as a wife and mother, and to some day, by God’s grace, cultivate the same.

I glean much wisdom from the hours she spends in conversation with me. The time of night (or morning) never hindered her from listening to my concerns. She knows me best. She know my strengths and weaknesses. I am best served by her hard questions, honest observations, encouragement, and bountiful grace and compassion. Even now that I do not live at home with her, I cherish the time we have together.

I love you, mom
Happy Birthday

Today is a big day in our family. RJ is turning the big 1-8!


RJ, I'm happy to call you brother-in-law, even if you just use me to obtain Mt. Dew.


Go Lebron! My fingers are crossed in hopes that you will get to meet him face to face at the big game.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."
Psalm 139:13-16

When I read this passage, it was as though the Lord gave me new eyes to see it as I never had. Here, I see the Lord knit Charis together, saw her frame while she was being made in secret, intricately wove her together and saw her unformed substance. Not only did He form her, but he has her entire life mapped out. Every minute of every day of her life, is written in His book. He knows each day, before one even existed. From unformed substance to eternity.

From unformed substance to eternity. Why is it easier to believe that is true for my daughter, than for myself? Sure, He knows her and has ordained each day that is behind and before her, but is that true for my life too? I must remind myself that the answer is, Yes. The One who made my innermost parts, is more than able to orchestrate my steps. All that I face in a given day, was decided before my birth, by my Father. Whatever my present trouble is, I can say with confidence, "He has written ____ in His book before I was formed." That specific work is wonderful.

I want to respond like David, "I praise you." God is all-wise and loving. I want to praise God for those things that seem to be out of His control, for they are surely not. Praise Him, because from unformed substance to eternity, He has ordered every step you take.

During Charis' first days with us, the poor little girl had to be patient while mom and dad learned the basics. Newborns like to be swaddled (wrapped tightly in blankets) when they sleep, because it makes them feel warm, like they did in the womb.

We would swaddle Charis tightly with two blankets and put her in the crib to sleep. After we did this, we would hear her grunting for approximately fifteen minutes, peek in her room and find she had wiggled her arms out of the blankets and fallen asleep. This particular time, she managed to get out of the blanets and her gown. No wonder she was crying so hard. We got a good laugh, though. We have learned since then, to wrap her even tighter. The tighter the better!

Here is a picture of Stephen and Charis playing video games, one of their favorite father-daughter activities (at least his favorite). Madden '08 just isn't the same without her on his chest. She can't complain though, because she is close to dad and warm. Someday soon, she'll be running around and tearing the house apart. Watching his little girl will take a little more attention. For now, he will savor these precious moments with her.

Confession: I may be more overprotective than I would like to admit.

At about 4 weeks old, I noticed Charis began smiling. It wasn’t her "I’m falling asleep and cannot control my facial muscles" type of smiling. It was responsive smiling. I smiled at her. She smiled back.

One of our favorite family activities, is giving our little girl a bath. It doesn't take very long for Charis to smell like milk, throw-up, pee, poop and Dreft, all combined. If it were up to Stephen, we would be giving her baths after every meal (far too often for anyone who knows how often a two-month old eats). During bath time, we certainly run the risk of her exploding from either end, or both, but it is certainly worth it. The worst she has done so far, though, is fart.

Stephen keeps her tummy warm with his hands, and I do the scrubbing. Last time, Stephen decided to make up a song for us to sing. Apparently his songwriting abilities work best when NOT bathing a child. We resorted to singing worship songs together. After everything was cleaned up, the three of us went into the livingroom to worship while Daddy played his guitar. I do not know how long it will be until she can understand what we are singing about, but I want to make a habit of praising the Lord, with her in our presence. Good idea, Stephen!

The Altrogge family did not stay small in number for long. Less than two months after the wedding, I had big news to share with Stephen. I was expecting. The nine months of pregnancy built up the anticipation of our child's arrival, but nothing could prepare us for the deep love we would share for our daughter, Charis.

On November 4, 2006, the (young) Altrogge family began. After six months of dating and four months of engagement, the wait was over. I was finally able to marry the man whom I dearly loved. Stephen and I were one in the Lord’s eyes. I am reminded of the words from the song, ”How Deep the Father’s Love For Us” that was played during the prelude at our wedding:

"Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart. His wounds have paid my ransom.”

Because of the Father’s great love, the debt my sins owed, was paid. The Father loved me enough, to send Christ into the world, to be wounded for my sins in ways I cannot grasp. Christ was rewarded for His obedience to God, and I gain from that reward. All my sins are washed away. What amazes me is that God did not stop there. He saved me and has blessed me abundantly beyond that. In addition to salvation, He has given me the perfect husband and a healthy, adorable baby girl. I thank him for our family. Praise, glory and honor belong to Him.

It is not enough for me to keep this gift to myself. My heart is overflowing with thanks, and I cannot help but share pictures, funny stories, thoughts on motherhood and ways the Lord is working, with my family and friends. My hope is that you receive a little bit of joy from this peak into our lives.