It's a Fine Art...

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. 

The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

Alexander Graham Bell is credited with having said those words. Born on March 3, 1847, in Edinburgh, Scotland, both his mother and eventually his wife, were deaf. As a result, much of his life was spent researching hearing and speech.

This research then progressed into experimentation with hearing devices and sound transmission. One culmination of these efforts, the one for which Mr. Bell is well-known, is the telephone. 

from Wikipedia public domain images

His initial efforts focused on work to ameliorate the telegraph. A thorough understanding of the nature of sound (from his work with the deaf) plus an aptitude for music gave him the idea that perhaps multiple messages could be sent simultaneously over the same telegraph line, and then, he began to wonder how sound could be converted to electrical impulses. 

On March 10, 1876, the first successful telephone transmission occurred.  Using a liquid transmitter, Bell spoke into a mouthpiece, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you." In another room, Watson heard each word distinctly through a receiver. The impracticality of a liquid transmitter eventually led to the development of one constructed using electromagnets.

Some consider Bell to have been a brilliant communicator.

His invention certainly changed the world as it was then known, connecting people, enabling real time communication even when long distances separated, encouraged growth of businesses and, in general facilitated communication.

Communication...

It is, in some ways, a loaded word. Very broadly and simply, communication is nothing more than the transfer of information from one place to another. Where it gets tricky is the when, the why, the where, the who and the how it gets done. And while the possibilities probably aren't infinite, they are numerous with lots of "connections" where information can disappear, be deformed or destroyed, delayed, devalued or, thankfully, properly distributed. 

As missionaries, we are concerned about communication: 

• with family near and far, 
• with our local partners as well as those supporting us back in our sending organizations, 
• with friends, 
• with colleagues, 
• with neighbors, 
• with government officials, 
• with businesses...

We communicate verbally and non-verbally, orally and in writing... even our sometimes lack of communication communicates. There are times when the intent of the message we wish to share is not perceived or received and people end up hurt, or angry, or worse.

Our communication needs to be genuine and authentic, kind, truthful and intentional... not just the words that come out of our mouths and the words that we write, but the expressions on our face, our body language and the choices we make. Our communication, in every way and in every aspect, needs to reflect the One we say we strive to reflect.

Consider these words:

"Night after night [the heavens] communicate knowledge..." (Ps 19.2, HCSB)

"'Because I am the LORD, I'll speak and the message that I communicate will be accomplished without delay. While you continue to be a rebellious house, I'll speak the message and then fulfill it,' declares the Lord GOD." (Ez 12.25, ISV)

"But let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." (Gal 6.6, ASV)

Charge those that are rich in this world, that they not be high minded, not placing their hope in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; but charge them to do good, that they be rich in good works, liberal to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the future, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (1 Tim 6.17-19, JB2000)

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Heb 13.16, ASV)

I've always happily considered "doing good" a sacrifice that God finds pleasing. I've never, ever considered communicating to be one as well.

In honor of the anniversary Alexander Graham Bell's birthday as well as the anniversary of the first successful phone transmission - both of which occurred in March - this month's focus here at Missionary Mom's Companion will be communication! I, for one, am looking forward to hear what others have to say!

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As we share our thoughts on this topic, we'd love if you'd communicate back with us!

 Comment and let us know what you are thinking or your response to what has been shared! 

Welcome to February!

In January we had a theme--at least behind the scenes--of Beginnings. Was January a month of good beginnings for you? Beginning a healthy routine of self-care? Being reimagined? Or was it one of those struggle months, maybe one where you worked with faith and doubt? I know that with our different schedule of winter holidays in Slavic countries, plus sickness, plus a flu quarantine, plus a week away from home, I myself am just now starting to feel like sticking my head out of my shell and looking for a beginning. Oh, well. Like Liz reminded us, God's mercy is new every morning.

For the month ahead, many of our posts will focus on LOVE. Maybe it's a bit cliche: February, love, Valentine's Day, and such. But it's real, and love should be a foundation for all of us. Some may write about how they met their husbands, or what marriage looks like on the mission field, or any other aspect of love. I'm excited to see what comes up.

*

I have a few links to share, before I leave you today:

• This older post is something I've been dwelling on lately: how does God really love me?
• And I saw that someone else had the same idea as we did; her collection of ideas is wonderful.
• This video series is speaking to my heart, as I slowly listen to it. (I had never heard of the author/speaker before just recently, and I really don't know anything about him, so my recommendation here is limited.)

So, how was your January? What are you looking forward to in February? What is God teaching you about His love these days?

*Drawing of our family, by our four-year-old son. The creature in the foreground is my pet duck.

Under construction!

Hello all! Tammy is back as a contributor here, and her first new contribution is a facelift for the blog. Please be patient as the look changes around here, and feel free to comment and let her know what you think.

We're still doing our beginning-of-the-quarter planning behind the scenes. The months ahead should be good ones!

Blog news

We're two years old! Actually a little more than two years. It's hard to believe. I've been looking back a little, and also looking forward....

Right now we're planning the next quarter's posts. Does anyone want to share a guest post? Or suggest something you'd like to hear about? Email me (fylliska@gmail.com). Also, we have some Tuesday Topics queued, but I'd love to have more.

One thing we've noticed is that commenting and discussion seems to be down a little. Does it seem that way to you? Or is it just a passing summer slump?

Please interact with us as you read here; we love to hear from you!

Planning time

Dear Readers,
We're planning posts for the next three months now. Do you have anything specific you'd like to hear about? Any special ideas? More or less of anything that we already have going? Be honest; I don't think that you can hurt our feelings.

Is there anyone out there who wants to write a guest post? I did try to include former guest writers in the planning email that I already sent out, but if I missed you, or if you're new, please take the initiative to write to me! (fylliska@gmail.com)

As always, any time you think of a Tuesday Topic, please go ahead and send that in, too. We have some ready to go, but I can always add more to the queue.

I'm thinking the pace of posting might slow down a little for the summer; many are traveling or extra busy. We'll see, though. And please do be praying for all of us, when you think of it. Personally, I want to have our month of camp--that's July--covered in prayer, and then after that we'll be working on a move to a new location and ministry. Please share your specific summer prayer requests in the comments here, along with your suggestions and answers to any of the questions I've asked above. Thank you!

Blog news: a new series and more!

We have had a behind-the-scenes flurry of emails going back and forth, and I'm really excited about the season ahead. There are several new authors (and a new baby!) to introduce. Plus, we've filled in a pretty full calendar of posts for the months of April, May and June.

Right now, I'll just introduce you to the newest idea here....

My personal favorite part of this community is when we can dialogue a little and get to know each other better. In that vein, our new series is "Getting Acquainted." (Or can someone come up with a more creative name for it?) We're going to interview each other on Saturdays! Each week we'll post a little bit about one of us. This will be more than just what is on the contributors' bio page; maybe we'll include some little known facts or unusual experiences or special areas of interest. That's the "teaser" to get you going in the comments. Once you know a little bit more about the person being introduced, what do you want to ask her? If you could have her over for tea or coffee, what would you discuss with her?

So, um, I'm going first.

If I came to visit you, what we probably talk about...

First, I'm an absolute Slavophile. That started as a love for Russia, but God is stretching my heart further. You'd probably hear me talking about my beloved languages, literature, culture and history. But, if you're not so interested in this part of the world, would you like to know about my first missions trip? It was to a completely different part of the world, one that still holds a good part of my heart, too. (Hint: its initials are PNG. )

Second, homeschooling: I was homeschooled myself, I homeschooling my own children, and I help others homeschool now, as I work with Ambleside Online. But then, so as not to be exclusive, I also just love to learn about education in general; I did spend two lovely years working in a Russian school. So, we could just talk about "pedagogy" in general, if you wanted to.

Now, it's your turn. Post the questions you want to interview me with in the comments! What do you want to ask? Anything in the bit above pique your interest, or do you have something else you want to know? I'll collect them and do my best to answer next week, before introducing you to the next interviewee. (Also, if you don't want to comment, or can't, feel free to send your questions straight to me: fylliska@gmail.com.)

News and notes

Hi all! I hope you're doing well. Spring is just around the corner here, and we're enjoying warmer days. I've also been even a little busier than usual. Weekends have become my main time to answer emails and work on this blog. So, if you've written to me, and I haven't answered right away, that's all that is going on. Thank you for your patience. If you did wait until the weekend, and still didn't get an answer, please feel free to write again!

I finally got the bio posted for our most recent new blog contributor: Ashley. Ashley isn't really new; she's the one who wrote the other blog that inspired this one. But now she's writing here. Let's cover her with prayer now, since she's expecting her fourth baby very soon! We also have another new writer joining us in the next quarter, and I'm excited about that.

I'll go ahead and start to ask now about scheduling the next quarter. If you want to publish a guest post in April-May-June, please let me know. Regular writers, please expect an email soon.

You might have noticed that we didn't have a Tuesday Topic last week. Sad. That's one of my favorite parts of this blog. But, I just didn't have any new questions to ask. So, please, if you have anything you want to discuss, send it in now: fylliska@gmail.com. Let me know if you want your question to be anonymous, or if I should use your name and/or blog address. Thanks!

Blog news

Merry Christmas! Does it seem weird for me to start off like that? It's Christmas Eve today in Ukraine and Russia, and maybe a few other countries. So, I'll wish you all a good one.

We've been busy behind the scenes here. Posts are planned out for the next three months. There is a new team member for you to meet soon. I meant to update the contributors page today, but I just didn't get to it. I will soon. We also have a blogroll now. Look above for the link to that, and come add a link to your own blog. Chrysti made us a beautiful blog button, which you can grab from the right side of this window and add to your blog or page to spread the word about this community here.

I've been so busy.... Surely I'm missing something I meant to mention? If so, I'm sorry. I'll remember later.

I'm excited to start into 2013 with you all!

Just whispering

I said that I wouldn't "see" you all until next year, but since I'm starting to plan out blog posts, I just had to step in here to whisper a few little questions:

Is there anyone out there who wants to write a guest post? Or join the blog team?
What do you want to see in this space in 2013?

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas yesterday and are continuing to enjoy the holiday season with your families!

Advent is coming!

And what do we have planned? On this blog, we'll be providing weekly devotionals that you can print out and use with your family. The traditional time to read them would be each Sunday of the month of December, so they'll be published on Saturdays. Each week has a theme to focus on, and these devotionals are designed to be used with an Advent wreath.

In our own family, we haven't ever had a traditional Advent wreath. Don't worry, if you don't either! You can pull together some candles, with or without greenery or other decorations. My favorite "wreath" that we've ever had looked like this:

Those are plain glass jars, covered with tissue paper, candles placed inside. I'm planning to try to remake it this year. I'd love to see what you use in your family!

We light our candle(s)--the appropriate number for the week--every evening during Advent. So, we'll be using the new devotional reading each Sunday, but also drawing its theme out for a whole week, plus reading a little more Scripture each day.

No matter what you're planning, please read this: it is probably my all-time favorite Advent blog post.

Posts on this blog will slow down, in order to give the writers more time to quietly focus at home. I was even planning to stop Tuesday Topics, but now we have some good holiday themed discussion starters, so I'll schedule those to post, at least some Tuesdays. I hope you all will participate in the discussion, as you have time.

I'm excited about this season! May the Lord use the month ahead of us to prepare our hearts for His coming and to draw us closer and closer to Him.

What does Advent look like in your home? Do you observe Advent? How? What are your plans for this year? Will you read along with us in the weekly devotionals we have coming up?

Planning blog posts

We're working on the blog posting schedule for the next two months. If you have a guest post to contribute, or if you would like to join the blog team, please write to me at fylliska@gmail.com. Thanks!

I'm back!

We've been back in Ukraine for a week now, after a wonderful, busy, exhausting trip to visit our families and supporters. It was really a great trip; now we just have to settle back into regular life. I am really just basking in being home, though.


Blog news: We're ready to write more! The blog team has been brainstorming together, and we have a posting schedule worked out now. We are planning approximately three posts a week: the Tuesday Topic, plus one devotional and one "practical" post. Some weeks there might be more, some weeks less. I'm excited to see what everyone will come up with to share. Personally, I'm aiming to write once every other week for now; I'll be working through Calm My Anxious Heart, the book that I've already written about before.


Resources page: I'd like to start a resources page, with links to helps for missionary life, like the organization that provided us with a vehicle in the states and others along those lines. If you have ideas for that, please send them to my email (fylliska@gmail.com). Watch for a link to a resources page to appear above.

Helping out: If you would like to be a regular contributor, please write to me. If you had already done that, and I haven't gotten back to you, please forgive me and write again now. Also, please do send in those Tuesday Topic questions! We don't have many yet. Send to my email address above.

How is your summer going so far? What have you been busy with? Do you have any ideas of what you'd like to see on this blog?

Calm My Anxious Heart

First, blog news: I am so excited to see how this is coming together! We have Tuesday Topics ready for the next six weeks and scheduled to post automatically. The writing team is filling up nicely. There's at least a general schedule for a post from a different woman each week while I'm gone. We still might need lots of patience from you as we figure this out, but it's coming together. If you send in an offer to help now, I will be very grateful, but I probably won't get back to you about it for a month or so; please accept my apologies in advance! Later, at the end of July or in August, we'll discuss and organize more. After that, I think we'll pick up the pace with posting, maybe start some interesting series, new features, and whatever else God leads us to.

And then, on a slightly more personal note, when Ashley wrote her goodbye, she said that she she felt God leading her out of a time of sharing, into more listening and learning. Amazingly, I believe God is leading me similarly, but in the opposite direction, if that makes sense. I am naturally one who would be happy just to quietly listen and learn for my whole life, and now God is telling me that I should try to write more often. I sense that He wants me to move out of my quiet comfort zone and share some of my thoughts. Also, because I'm in a pretty isolated situation, He's been leading me to internet ministry for right now. To explain that last bit some more: I'm not truly physically isolated--although we do live "out in the middle of nowhere"--but I just haven't built up or found much of a real-life mom community here. I do see other people, of course, but I find that it's hard to settle in for real relationship and conversation when I'm so busy with my little ones and the people around me are not. So, I really do ask for your prayers over me and the ministry of this blog. Thank you!

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And now, the meat of this post....

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:11-13 

Most of us have probably struggled with worry and discontent. I honestly don't think of myself as a big worrier, but there have certainly been times when worry was my besetting sin. When we first moved to Moscow, I really should have been enjoying life. I was newly married and finally living in the country I had always dreamed of. And yet, discontent and worry seemed like a black cloud over everything. It was at that time that my mother-in-law gave me a book God used to change my life, Calm My Anxious Heart, by Linda Dillow. I devoured it, read it all down in one gulp, then started over more slowly. I did the Bible study in the back of it on my own, and later with a group (in Russian! It is available in Russian!) I really dwelt on the Bible truths presented in this book for a season, until I felt that I could say with Paul, "I have learned...to be content. I can do all things through Christ!"

Then, fast forward to now. Of course, over the years, I have had times of worry and times of peace. But now, this trip we have coming up was just driving me to distraction. I was not resting in the Lord. Finally, just last week, I got my old favorite book back out, dusted it off, and started in on the first chapter. I'd like to share it here with you. I wish I could just type the whole first chapter out, but that's not reasonable or allowed by copyright laws. (You should go look at Amazon, though. There's a pretty good sample.)

Here are some of the things that stood out to me this time around, things that I'm learning or relearning right now:

• About a week ago I bumped into an acquaintance who is miserable about everything. Her attitude that day reminded me of the "Meredith" that Linda Dillow starts off with. Hearing the Meredith in my life was a good reminder of what my own attitude should be and what I want others to hear when I speak.
• Linda Dillow quotes from the old diary of a missionary to Africa: "Never allow yourself to complain about anything--not even the weather...." Not related to the trip that was bothering me, but I have a big problem with this. I don't like the summer heat here, and I complain about it. (Shame, shame on me, when I think of someone in African heat!)
• This quote:
  

  When I told a friend about my fears, she observed, "Linda, you like control, and there are too many 'uncontrollables' in your life." At the time, I didn't understand what she meant. After all, I trusted God. I was a missionary--I was paid to trust God. What did she mean, "You like control"?
  
  Looking back, I realize that I did desire to trust God, but sometimes He was very slow. When He was moving at what I thought was a snail's pace, I unconsciously decided that He needed my help....  It's our "helping God out" that leads to an anxious heart. When we take over and try to control what happens, we take our focus off the One who is in control and put our eyes on our circumstances. 

• This is something I had never heard before the first time I read this book: 1 Timothy 6:15 in a certain version of the Bible reads, "God... is the blessed controller of all things." Wow. God is the controller. (Of course.) But, had I really accepted that? And, not only is He the controller, He is good, the blessed controller. This verse is also incredible in NASB.
• She also tells a story of two monks who planted trees. The first one planted his and asked God for rain. God sent rain. Then he asked for sun, which God also gave. Next he asked for a little cold to strengthen the tree. God sent that, too, but the tree froze and died. The second monk planted a tree, and his grew beautifully. He said, "I entrust my tree to its God. He who made it knows better what needs than a man like me. I laid no condition. I fixed not ways or means. 'Lord, send what it needs,' I prayed, 'storm or sunshine, wind, rain or frost. Thou has made it and Thou dost know.'" The author talks about being a "first-monk woman" or a "second-monk woman." Oh, how I want to be a second-monk woman! Especially when it comes to this trip that I had been worrying about so much.
• It wasn't until after I laid my worries about this trip down that I found out that one of the big things I had been worrying about was now taken care of. That was like a special gift from Him. I told the Lord that yes, I had been worried, but that I was going to turn now from that sin, with His help. And then He took care of the problem I had been worrying about.

Have you read Calm My Anxious Heart? What had God used in your life to teach you contentment?

Starting out

This is really a crazy endeavor for me. There's no way I have time for this right now. I'm honestly not much of a writer. My days are full of homeschooling and child care and everything else that comes along. Summer is almost here, with all the fun and busyness that brings. Plus, we're leaving for a trip to the states in 8 days!

However, I love the Missionary Moms community that Ashley has set up. This blog was an idea I had the last time she had a break. I prayed about it a lot, but I didn't do anything about it then. Now I think I can get it going. At the very least, I can come up with Tuesday Topics and schedule them to post automatically. And hopefully, I can add some of you as team members to fill in around those Tuesdays with your own posts. Somewhere down the road, as I have time, I want to work on the layout here and get a blogroll going, but that will have to wait for now. I'm sure I'll have other ideas, and I would love to have your suggestions, too.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"

So, please take a look at the Contributors page above. Contact me (fylliska@gmail.com), if you want to write. And please be praying for me!